| Nembrotha kubaryana | |
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| Nembrotha kubaryana feeding on tunicates | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura |
| Superfamily: | Polyceroidea |
| Family: | Polyceridae |
| Subfamily: | Nembrothinae |
| Genus: | Nembrotha |
| Species: | N. kubaryana |
| Binomial name | |
| Nembrotha kubaryana Bergh, 1877 |
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| Synonyms[1][2] | |
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Nembrotha kubaryana, also known as the variable neon slug, is a species of colorful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. Its synonyms include Nembrotha nigerrima.[1][2]
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This species occurs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific.[3]
This animal can reach a total length of more than 120 mm. It is a large dark-bodied nudibranch which may have green stripes running down the length of the body or have green raised spots. The margin of the foot and head is a vivid red-orange. The rhinophores and gills may be red or green. Nembrotha kubaryana is easily confused with a similar species, Nembrotha cristata although the latter has no red orange border on its foot.
The variable neon slug feeds on ascidians and has been observed feeding on the green-ringed ascidian, Sigillina signifera.[3]
Nembrotha kubaryana uses the toxins in its prey ascidians to defend itself against predators. It stores the ascidian's toxins in its tissues and then releases them in a slimy defensive mucus when alarmed.