Generic image of a 1970s vintage loung suite
If ever a sea slug was channeling the 1970s, it’s Halgerda willeyi. With its glossy orange lines and brownish raised bumps, it looks straight out of a retro lounge suite – the kind with shag pile carpet and floral upholstery. Nature, it seems, is totally groovy and was doing vintage chic long before it was cool.
This particular nudibranch is one of the showier ones found in Norfolk’s lagoon, crawling slowly across the sand or perched on sponges where its patterns blend surprisingly well. Those vivid orange lines aren’t just for decoration, though – they’re a warning. Like many nudibranchs, Halgerda willeyi is toxic, advertising its unpalatability to would-be predators in the most flamboyant way possible.
I spotted this one on a snorkel and couldn’t help thinking it belonged in a 1975 home décor catalogue. Orange and brown – the colour palette of my teens and one that would look right at home in my grandma’s front room! Proof, perhaps, that design inspiration really does come from the sea floor as much as from the studio. Next time you see a bold retro print, remember: the ocean probably wore it first!
