Dr. Rebecca Johnson is a systematic biologist and studies the
evolution of color in sea slugs at the California Academy of
Sciences.  In the slow paced world of marine sea slugs, a
sedentary defense can be the difference between eating and being
eaten. With shelled armor, stealthy camouflage or chemical
warfare, defense strategies are not only fascinating, but are a
potential source of novel cancer and cardiac therapies. Of the
3,000 species of nudibranchs, or “naked-gilled” slugs, many
display beautiful, vivid color patterns. These colors warn
predators that the slugs are toxic.  Post-doctoral researcher at
the California Academy of Sciences, Dr. Rebecca Johnson studies
the evolution of color patterning in these brazen beauties. Her
specialty lies within a family of 300 species called the
chromodorid nudibranchs, which mainly live in shallow tropic
waters worldwide.  Chromodorid nudibranch (Risbecia tyroni)
Photo credit: Stephen Childs  Most nudibranchs take something
from their prey to use as their own chem