Chromodoris lochi
Encyclopedia
Chromodoris lochi, common name Loch's Chromodoris, is a species
of colorful sea slug
, a dorid nudibranch
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae
.
in the Southern Hemisphere
to the
Philippines
in the Northern Hemisphere
.
s range in color from a translucent straw-color, through to pink and light orange.
This species is very similar in appearance to Chromodoris willani
, Chromodoris boucheti
and Chromodoris dianae
and can be difficult to tell apart. Its most distinguishing feature is the uniform coloring of the mantle and the lack of white specks which are present in some of the other 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 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 Chromodorididae
Chromodorididae
Chromodorididae are a taxonomic family of medium-sized to large, colorful, sea slugs; dorid nudibranchs in the superfamily Doridoidea. These are marine gastropod mollusks....
.
Distribution
This species is found in the tropical Western Pacific Ocean and is known to range from the Great Barrier ReefGreat Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
in the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
to the
Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
.
Description
Chromodoris lochi is blue or blueish-white with typically three dark or black longitudal lines running down the body. Individuals can reach at least 34 mm in length. There is some variation between individuals in this species, and the gills and rhinophoreRhinophore
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 range in color from a translucent straw-color, through to pink and light orange.
This species is very similar in appearance to Chromodoris willani
Chromodoris willani
Chromodoris willani is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae. The species is named for the renowned nudibranch taxonomist Dr. Richard C...
, Chromodoris boucheti
Chromodoris boucheti
Chromodoris boucheti is a species of colorful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae....
and Chromodoris dianae
Chromodoris dianae
Chromodoris dianae is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.- Distribution :This species is known only from the Philippines, Indonesia and Borneo.-Description:...
and can be difficult to tell apart. Its most distinguishing feature is the uniform coloring of the mantle and the lack of white specks which are present in some of the other species.