Chromodorididae, or chromodorids, are a taxonomic family of colourful sea slugs; dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Chromodoridoidea. The over 390 described species are primarily found in tropical and subtropical waters, as members of coral reef communities, specifically associated with their sponge prey. The chromodorids are the most speciose family of opisthobranchs. They range in size from less than to over , although most species are approximately in size.
Although, they have a worldwide distribution, most species are found in the Indo-Pacific region. A scientific paper published in 2007, found the most widespread chromodorid genera, (Mexichromis, Chromodoris, Glossodoris and Hypselodoris) to be paraphyletic or polyphyletic.
The family Cadlinidae Bergh, 1891 has been considered a synonym of the Chromodorididae. Research by R.F. Johnson in 2011 has shown that Cadlina does not belong to the family Chromodorididae. She has therefore brought back the name Cadlinidae from synonymy with Chromodorididae. The chromodorid nudibranchs without Cadlina are now monophyletic and turn out to be a possible sister to the family Actinocyclidae. Cadlina, Aldisa, and Inuda are the only three genera currently classified in the Cadlinidae.MolluscaBase eds. (2026) Cadlinidae Bergh, 1891. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2026-04-22
A comprehensive phylogeny of the chromodorid nudibranchs found every one of the 14 traditional chromodorid genera were either non-monophyletic, or rendered another genus paraphyletic. Additionally, both the monotypic genera Verconia and Diversidoris are nested within clades. The authors presented a new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs, which used molecular data to untangle evolutionary relationships and at the same time retains a historical connection to traditional systematics by using generic names attached to type species as clade names. All Chromodorid nudibranchs feed on sponges.Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Jul 21) Review of chromodorid feeding. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.Rudman W.B. & Bergquist, P.R., 2007. A review of feeding specificity in the sponge-feeding Chromodorididae (Nudibranchia: Mollusca). Molluscan Research 27(2): 60–88.
Genera Genera within the family Chromodorididae include:
Subfamiliy Chromodoridinae Ardeadoris Rudman, 1984 Berlanguella Ortea, Bacallado & Valdés, 1992 Chromodoris Alder and Hancock, 1855 – the type genus Chromolaichma Bertsch, 1977 Diversidoris Rudman, 1987 Doriprismatica d'Orbigny, 1839 Felimida Ev. Marcus, 1971 Glossodoris Ehrenberg, 1831 Goniobranchus Pease, 1866 Neptunazurea Ribeiro, García-Méndez, Valdés, Schrödl & Padula, 2025 Rudmania J. P. G. Oliveira, Henryco, Ardila, Schrödl & Padula, 2025 Tyrinna Bergh, 1898 Verconia Pruvot-Fol, 1931 – synonym: Noumea Risbec, 1928
Subfamily Miamirinae Ceratosoma J. E. Gray and M. E. Gray, 1850 Felimare Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1967 Hypselodoris Stimpson, 1855 Mexichromis Bertsch, 1977 Miamira Bergh, 1874 Thorunna Bergh, 1878
Genera brought into synonymy Actinodoris Ehrenberg, 1831 : synonym of Chromodoris Alder & Hancock, 1855 Babaina Odhner in Franc, 1968 : synonym of Thorunna Bergh, 1878 Casella H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 : synonym of Glossodoris Ehrenberg, 1831 Crepidodoris Pagenstecher, 1877 : synonym of Doriprismatica A. d'Orbigny, 1839 Digidentis Rudman, 1984 : synonym of Thorunna Bergh, 1878 Durvilledoris Rudman, 1984 : synonym of Mexichromis Bertsch, 1977 Jeanrisbecia Franc, 1968 : synonym of Hypselodoris Stimpson, 1855 Lissodoris Odhner, 1934 : synonym of Goniobranchus Pease, 1866 Noumea Risbec, 1928 (preoccupied by a beetle): synonym of Verconia Pruvot-Fol, 1931 Orodoris Bergh, 1875 : synonym of Miamira Bergh, 1874 Pectenodoris Rudman, 1984 : synonym of Mexichromis Bertsch, 1977 Pterodoris Ehrenberg, 1831 : synonym of Hypselodoris Stimpson, 1855 Risbecia Odhner, 1934 : synonym of Hypselodoris W. Stimpson, 1855 Rosodoris Pruvot-Fol, 1954 : synonym of Glossodoris Ehrenberg, 1831
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