Unveiling the Hidden World of Nudibranchs
For over forty years, Prof. Dr. Heike Wägele has been uncovering the secrets of one of the ocean’s most fascinating creatures: the nudibranch, a family of shell-less marine slugs known for their dazzling colors and incredible evolutionary adaptations.
Prof. Heike Wägele’s Research at Coral Eye
A former head of the Department of Phylogenetics and Evolution at the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Museum Koenig Bonn, Prof. Wägele’s work has taken her from the icy waters of Antarctica to the coral gardens of Indonesia, where her research now focuses on the extraordinary biodiversity of Bangka and North Sulawesi.
From Shell to Color: Evolution’s Bold Experiment
Nudibranchs are more than just beautiful, they are evolutionary masterpieces. Once shelled snails, these slugs shed their protective armor millions of years ago, a risky evolutionary move that demanded innovation.
“Losing the shell meant finding new ways to survive,” explains Prof. Wägele. “Some nudibranchs store toxins or stinging cells from their prey; others live in symbiosis with algae or even keep chloroplasts from their food, using them to harness sunlight.”
Her lifelong research seeks to understand how these defense mechanisms evolved, and what they reveal about adaptation and survival in a changing ocean.
Documenting the Biodiversity of North Sulawesi
In recent years, Prof. Wägele and her colleagues from Sam Ratulangi University (Manado) have focused their efforts on the marine Heterobranchia of North Sulawesi.
When their studies began, only a handful of species were known from the region. Today, thanks to years of meticulous fieldwork, over 350 species have been documented, many of which are still undescribed by science.
“Without knowing what lives in the reef, it’s impossible to protect it effectively,” she says. “Each species we identify is another piece of the puzzle in understanding the ecosystem.”
Methods: From Coral Rubble to Microscopes
Fieldwork at Coral Eye provides a crucial base for this ongoing survey. Using scuba diving and photo documentation, the team collects samples and carefully sieves coral rubble to find even the tiniest nudibranchs, some smaller than 2 millimeters.
In the Coral Eye laboratory, microscopes allow for close examination and preliminary identification before specimens are preserved for further morphological and genetic analyses.
This work not only strengthens taxonomic accuracy but also lays the foundation for long-term biodiversity monitoring, essential as marine ecosystems face accelerating environmental change.
A Partnership for Knowledge and Conservation
Prof. Wägele’s research underscores Coral Eye’s role as a hub for international marine science. “Coral Eye is of high interest for our work,” she notes. “The availability of microscopes and the support of the staff in the field and in the lab make this collaboration very effective.”
Her findings have contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications, including:
Diversity (2020) – First study on marine Heterobranchia of the Bangka Archipelago
Papu A, Undap N, Martinez NA, Segre, MR. Datang IG, Kuada RR, Perin M, Yonow N, Wägele H. 2020. First study on marine Heterobranchia (Gastropod, Mollusca) in Bangka Archipelago, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Diversity, 12(2): 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12020052.
Journal of Natural Products (2020) – Chemical diversity in Phyllidiella species
Bogdanov A, Papu A, Kehraus S, Cruesemann M, Wägele H, König GM. 2020. Metabolome of the Phyllidiella pustulosa species complex (Nudibranchia, Heterobranchia, Gastropoda) reveals rare dichloronimidic sesquiterpened derivatives from a phylogenetically distinct and undescribed clade. Journal of Natural Products 83 doi.org/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00783
Organisms Diversity & Evolution (2022) – Integrative taxonomy and chemical analyses of Phyllidiidae
Papu A, Bogdanov A, Bara R, Kehraus S, König G, Yonow N, Wägele H (2022). Phyllidiidae (Nudibranchia, Heterobranchia, Gastropoda): an integrative taxonomic approach including chemical analyses. Org Div Evol 22: 585-629 doi.org/10.1007/s13127-021-00535-7
