Paglugaban Diving Site - Home for Nudibranchs in El Nido
The Paglugaban Diving Site in El Nido, Philippines has amazing rock formation with numerous swim-throughs inhabited by a very wide variety of nudibranchs.
Paglugaban is a beautiful island located in the Miniloc area. Travel time from El nido town is about 45min depending on sea conditions. The main point of interest in this site is the amazing rock formation with numerous swim-throughs inhabited by a large variety of nudibranchs. Paglugaban is home of porcupine, puffer fish, lion fish, grouper and barramundi code. The site goes down up to 50 meters and the dive starts by passing on narrow pathways between huge boulders. On your way to the rock formation you have the chance to glide along its coral garden where you have a good chance of seeing sea turtles.
Paglugaban: diving information
• Depth: 5-35 meters
• Viz: 15-30 meters
• Current: Moderate
• Getting there: 45 minutes by boat
• Best months: Nov-May.
Paglugaban: Marine life
What you can see: Nudibranch • Green Sea Turtle • Hawksbill Sea Turtle • Crocodile Fish
If you are lucky: Eagle Ray • Marble Ray • Ghost pipefish • Bumphead Parrot Fish
Paglugaban Diving Site - Few Facts anout Nudibranch
What is a Nudibranch? A nudibranch is a member of the Nudibranchia, a group of soft-bodied, marine gastropod mollusks which shed their shells after their larval stage. They are one of the divers\’ favorite crittere for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms. Currently, about 2,300 valid species of nudibranchs are known.
Nudibranchs are often casually called sea slugs, but many sea slugs belong to several taxonomic groups which are not closely related to them. Nudibranchs are often brightly colored as a warning that they taste bad. Some nudibranchs are even known to store the poisons of the animals that they ingest as a defense mechanism.
Why is it named Nudibranch? The word “nudibranch” literally translates to naked gill, reflecting the fact that the animal’s gills are normally exposed along its dorsum.
What does a Nudibranch eat? Most nudibranchs are carnivore and feed on soft corals, snails, anemones, hydroids, bryozoans, ascidians, and/or sponges.
