Limacia cockerelli
| Limacia cockerelli | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Limacia cockerelli | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura |
| Superfamily: | Polyceroidea |
| Family: | Polyceridae |
| Subfamily: | Triophinae |
| Tribe: | Limaciini |
| Genus: | Limacia |
| Species: | L. cockerelli |
| Binomial name | |
| Limacia cockerelli (MacFarland, 1905) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Laila cockerelli | |
Limacia cockerelli is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae.[1]
Distribution
This species is found from the West coast of North America ranging from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada to Baja California. It has also been found in the Gulf of California at Bahía de los Ángeles.[2]
Description
This species reaches lengths of 26 mm. It has long dorsal papillae with white branchial plumes.[3] It is found in two forms. The northern form has white tubercles down the middle of the dorsum. The second form, found in areas south of Point Conception have tubercles that are slightly longer and tipped with orange. Intermediate forms exist in central and northern California. Another form in California has large red blotches on the dorsum. The eggs of the Limacia cockerelli are pink and develop after 17 days, (at 10-13 degrees C), into hatching planktotrophic veligers.
Diet
This animal preys exclusively on the orange-brown colored bryozoans, Hincksina velata and Membranopora.
References
- ↑ Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (Ed.); Frýda J., Hausdorf B., Ponder W., Valdes A. & Warén A. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia: International Journal of Malacology, 47(1-2). ConchBooks: Hackenheim, Germany. ISBN 3-925919-72-4. ISSN 0076-2997. 397 pp. http://www.vliz.be/Vmdcdata/imis2/ref.php?refid=78278
- ↑ http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=lailcock
- ↑ http://slugsite.us/bow/nudwk451.htm
Further reading
- Vallès, Y.; Valdés, A.; Ortea, J. 2000. On the phanerobranch dorids of Angola (Mollusca, Nudibranchia): A crossroads of temperate and tropical species. Zoosystema, 22(1): 15-31.
- Behrens, D.W. (1991) Pacific Coast Nudibranchs. Sea Challengers: Monterey, California.
- Goddard, J.H.R. 1984. The opisthobranchs of Cape Arago, Oregon, with notes on their biology and a summary of benthic opisthobranchs known from Oregon. The Veliger, 27(2): 143-163.
- Goddard, J.H.R. (1987) Observations on the opisthobranch mollusks of Punta Gorda, California, with notes on the distribution and biology of Crimora coneja. The Veliger, 29(3): 267-273.
- Goddard, J.H.R. (1998) A summary of the prey of nudibranch molluscs from Cape Arago, Oregon. Opisthobranch Newsletter, 24: 11-14.
- McDonald, G.W. (1983) A review of the nudibranchs of the California coast. Malacologia, 24: 114-276.
- McDonald, G.R. & Nybakken, J.W. (1978) Additional notes on the food of some California nudibranchs with a summary of known food habits of California species. The Veliger, 21(1): 110-119.
- Vallès, Y.; Valdés, A.; Ortea, J. 2000. On the phanerobranch dorids of Angola (Mollusca, Nudibranchia): A crossroads of temperate and tropical species. Zoosystema, 22(1): 15-31.
External links
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