Hexabranchus

Hexabranchidae
Hexabranchus sanguineus, 90 cm in length, photographed at night in Bali
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Heterobranchia

clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea
clade Doridacea
Superfamily: Polyceroidea
Family: Hexabranchidae
Bergh, 1891[1]
Genus: Hexabranchus
Ehrenberg, 1831[2]
Diversity
2 species[3]

Hexabranchidae is a taxonomic family of the colorful sea slugs which are known as nudibranchs. They are marine gastropod mollusks.

This family is one of the many families of dorid nudibranchs in the suborder Doridina, named after Doris, who was a sea nymph in ancient Greek mythology.

The family contains only one genus Hexabranchus, in other words it is a monotypic family. This family has no subfamilies.

The family Hexabranchidae contains one of the largest known species of nudibranch in the world, Hexabranchus sanguineus, which grows up to or exceeding 40 cm in length.[4]

Species

There are two species within the genus Hexabranchus:[3]

References

  1. ^ Bergh R. (1891). "Die cryptobranchiaten Dorididen". Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 6: 103-144.
  2. ^ Ehrenberg C. G. (1828–1831). Symbolae physicae animalia evertebrata exclusis insectis. Series prima cum tabularum decade prima continent animalia Africana et Asiatica. Decas Prima. In ‘Symbolae physicae, seu Icones adhue ineditae corporum naturalium novorum aut minus cognitorum, quae ex itineribus per Libyam, Aegyptum, Nubiam, Dengalam, Syriam, Arabiam et Habessiniam. Pars Zoologica, 4.’ Hemprich F. G. & Ehrenberg C. G. (eds.) Pages unumbered. (Officina Academica: Berlin.) Dates of publication: pls 1–2 [1828], text [1831].
  3. ^ a b c d Valdés Á. (2002). "How many species of Hexabranchus (Opisthobranchia : Dorididae) are there?". Molluscan Research 22(3): 289-301. doi:10.1071/MR02012, PDF.
  4. ^ http://www.seaslugforum.net/hexasang.htm