Oxynoe olivacea
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| Oxynoe olivacea | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Oxynoe olivacea Rafinesque, 1819 |
Oxynoe olivacea is a species of small green bubble snail or sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Oxynoidae.
Despite a superficial resemblance, this is not a nudibranch, it is a sacoglossan, and like other Oxynoe species, it has a small, fragile, bubble-shaped shell.
[edit] Distribution
This species is found in the Mediterranean Sea.
[edit] Life habits
This common sacoglossan feeds on the Mediterranean green alga Caulerpa prolifera.
Since the accidental introduction of the invasive aquarium strain of the tropical species Caulerpa taxifolia to the Mediterranean Sea, the biology and natural history of this Oxynoe species has been the subject of many studies, in the hope of using this sea slug as a biological control organism. However, although this species will eat Caulerpa taxifolia, its preferred food remains the native species Caulerpa prolifera.
[edit] References
- Bogi, C., Coppini, M., Margelli, A. (1984) Contribution to the knowledge of North Tyrrhenean Malacofauna. La Conchiglia, 186-7: 3-7.
