Aegires gardineri
| Aegires gardineri | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Nudibranchia |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura |
| Superfamily: | Polyceroidea |
| Family: | Aegiridae |
| Genus: | Aegires |
| Species: | Aegires gardineri |
| Binomial name | |
| Aegires gardineri (Eliot, 1906) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Aegires gardineri, also known as ' Notodoris gardineri', is a species of nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Aegiridae. [1]
Description
Aegires gardineri can reach more than 10 cm long. According to the geographical zone, the background color of the animal can varied. Indeed, in the archipelagoes of the Maldives and Laquedives, the body is rather black with yellow spots while in the rest of the zone of distribution the body is yellow with black spotes Size and numbers of spots vary from an individual to the other one. Gills are situated in the center of the dorsal side, they are yellow and protected by three round lobes. The body is stiff and protected by small spicules. Rhinophores are smooth, simple, yellow and retractables. Aegires gardineri can be merged with Aegires minor, whose color of the body is also yellow with the black except that for the latter the black forms lines on the body and not spots.
Distribution
This species occurs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific.
Habitat
This nudibranch lives on the external slope or top of coral reefs, commonly at 7 to 15 m depth.[2]
Feeding
Aegires gardineri feeds mainly, according to the actual observations, on sponges of the family of Leucettidae as Pericharax heterographis ou Leucetta primigenia.
Behaviour
This Notodoris is benthic and diurnal, moves at sight without fear of being taken for a prey.
References
- ↑ Bouchet, P. (2012). Aegires gardineri (Eliot, 1906). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=531086 on 2012-11-11
- ↑ http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/notogard
- Fahey S.J. & Gosliner T.M. 2004. A phylogenetic analysis of the Aegiridae Fischer, 1883 (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Phanerobranchia) with descriptions of eight new species and a reassessment of Phanerobranch relationships. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, (4) 55(34): 613–689
- Yonow N. (2012) Opisthobranchs from the western Indian Ocean, with descriptions of two new species and ten new records (Mollusca, Gastropoda). ZooKeys 197: 1–129
External links
Bibliographical references
- Eliot, 1906 : The fauna and geography of the Maldive and Laccadive Archipelagoes. Cambridge University Press,vol.2,p.540–573.
- P.L.Beesley, G.J.B.Ross & A.Wells,"Mollusca - The Southern Synthesis", vol.5, CSIRO, 1998, ISBN 0-643-05756-0
- David Behrens,"Nudibranch behaviour", Newworld Publication INC., 2005, ISBN 978-1878348418
- Gary Cobb & Richard Willan,"Undersea jewels- a colour guide to nudibranchs", Australian Biological Resources Study, 2006, ISBN 0642568472
- Neville Coleman, "Marine life of Maldives", Atoll editions, 2004, ISBN 187-6410-361
- Andrea & Antonnella Ferrrari,"Macrolife", Nautilus publishing, 2003, ISBN 983-2731-00-3