Cadlina flavomaculata
Encyclopedia
Cadlina flavomaculata, common name
the yellow-spot cadlina, is a species
of colorful sea slug
, a dorid nudibranch
, a shell-less marine
gastropod mollusk in the family Cadlinidae
.
to the southern tip of Baja California
. However, it is common in some diving sites between Monterey, Carmel
and Big Sur
.
with distinctive, brown to black rhinophore
s. A series of large, yellow spots (mantle glands) can be seen on each side of the mantle. Some reported specimens also show a yellow border to the mantle, but this is not found in all specimens. The color branchia (gills) is white to yellow.
Cadlina flavomaculata feeds on the sponge Aplysilla glacialis Its reported length is 1.5 cm.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
the yellow-spot cadlina, is a species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of colorful sea slug
Slug
Slug is a common name that is normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell...
, a dorid nudibranch
Nudibranch
A nudibranch is a member of what is now a taxonomic clade, and what was previously a suborder, of soft-bodied, marine gastropod mollusks which shed their shell after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms...
, a shell-less marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusk in the family Cadlinidae
Cadlinidae
Cadlinidae is a family of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Doridoidea. This family is within the clade Euctenidiacea....
.
Distribution
Cadlina flavomaculata is relatively rare nudibranch found in subtidal and intertidal zones of the northeastern Pacific, from Vancouver IslandVancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
to the southern tip of Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
. However, it is common in some diving sites between Monterey, Carmel
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea, often called simply Carmel, is a small city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated in 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, the town is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history...
and Big Sur
Big Sur
Big Sur is a sparsely populated region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", meaning "the big south", or from "el país grande del sur", "the big...
.
Description
The yellow-spot cadlina is charactered by its ovate, translucent, white mantleMantle (mollusc)
The mantle is a significant part of the anatomy of molluscs: it is the dorsal body wall which covers the visceral mass and usually protrudes in the form of flaps well beyond the visceral mass itself.In many, but by no means all, species of molluscs, the epidermis of the mantle secretes...
with distinctive, brown to black rhinophore
Rhinophore
A rhinophore is one of a pair of club-shaped structures which are the most prominent part of the external head anatomy of a group of sea slugs, marine gastropod opisthobranch mollusks in the order Nudibranchia, the nudibranchs, specifically the dorid nudibranchs.- Etymology :The name relates to the...
s. A series of large, yellow spots (mantle glands) can be seen on each side of the mantle. Some reported specimens also show a yellow border to the mantle, but this is not found in all specimens. The color branchia (gills) is white to yellow.
Cadlina flavomaculata feeds on the sponge Aplysilla glacialis Its reported length is 1.5 cm.
Footnotes
- Debelius, H. & Kuiter, R.H. (2007) Nudibranchs of the world. ConchBooks, Frankfurt, 360 pp. ISBN 978-3-939767-06-0 page(s): 213