Goniobranchus heatherae

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Red-spotted nudibranch
Goniobranchus heatherae
Goniobranchus heatherae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Heterobranchia

clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea
clade Doridacea

Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Goniobranchus
Species: G. heatherae
Binomial name
Goniobranchus heatherae
(Gosliner, 1994)
Synonyms[1]

Chromodoris heatherae Gosliner, 1994 (basionym)

The red-spotted nudibranch, scientific name Goniobranchus heatherae, is a species of colorful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.[1]

Distribution

This species has so far only been found around the southern African coast from the Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth, subtidally to 30 m. It is probably endemic.[2]

Description

The red-spotted nudibranch is a white-bodied dorid with a smooth skin and with variably distributed red spots and an opaque white band around the notum. There may also be a yellowish line around the edge of the notum, which is more common in specimens seen towards the eastern part of the distribution. It has eight gills arranged around the anus and its rhinophores are perfoliate. It may reach a total length of 50 mm.[3]

Ecology

This species feeds on sponges.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bouchet, P. (2012). Goniobranchus heatherae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=597337 on 2012-05-03
  2. ↑ GOSLINER, T.M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8
  3. ↑ ZSILAVECZ, G. 2007. Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. ISBN 0-620-38054-3
Bibliography

External links

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