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The mystery mollusk is the first known nudibranch to live in a deep-water column, specifically in the ocean’s midnight zone — open water about 1,000 to 4,000 meters below the surface.

This gorgeous little nudibranch of just 2.3 inches long is packed with surprises.

Reef life thrives on hyperbolism, so to speak; the curvy surface structure of coral maximizes nutrient intake, and nudibranchs propel through water with frilly flanges.

Giant groupers flourish among the rocks, a psychedelic purple nudibranch sea slug clings to an outcrop, and a pair of rays skate along the undisturbed sandy bottom.

For example, the Hilton's nudibranch, a predatory sea slug, expanded northward during the Blob, which led to a decline in local nudibranchs.