A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a new species of aeolid nudibranch, or sea slug, discovered during its 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition. These brightly colored mollusks don't need shells for protection, instead they produce powerful toxins to keep potential predators at bay. The California Academy of Sciences said it discovered more than 300 previously unknown animals and plants during the recent 42-day marine and land survey of the Southeast Asian archipelago. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a new species of aeolid nudibranch, or sea slug, discovered during its 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a likely new species of worm from the genus Myrianida found in coral rubble during the California Academy of Sciences' 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a new species of the sea pen genus Veretillum taken during the California Academy of Sciences' 2011 marine survey in the Philippines. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a researcher holding two examples of a new species of swell shark taken from the deep sea during the California Academy of Sciences's recent 2011 marine survey in the Philippines. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a researcher holding a new species of swell shark taken from the deep sea during the California Academy of Sciences's recent 2011 marine survey in the Philippines. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a potential new species of the urchin Echinothrix, with a distinctive red colour that differentiates it from the more brownish, white-banded Echinothrix calamaris, during the California Academy of Sciences' 2011 marine survey in the Philippines. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a likely new species of sea pen in the genus Pteroeides during the California Academy of Sciences' 2011 marine survey in the Philippines. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a remarkably tall (up to a half metre), tree-like soft coral seen only in the deeper waters of a few dive sites during the California Academy of Sciences' 2011 marine survey in the Philippines. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a new species of Nembrotha nudibranch (also known as sea slug) discovered during the California Academy of Sciences' 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a likely new species of Iphiculus crab from the deep sea collected during the California Academy of Sciences' 2011 marine survey in the Philippines. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a new species of Nembrotha nudibranch, a sea slug, discovered during its 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition. Photo courtesy: AFP
A handout picture received from the California Academy of Sciences shows a new species of Gymnodoris nudibranch, a sea slug, discovered during its 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition. Photo courtesy: AFP
