Dendronotus albus
Encyclopedia
Dendronotus albus is a species
of sea slug
, a dorid nudibranch
, a shell-less marine
gastropod mollusk in the family Dendronotidae
.
from Alaska
to Baja California
.
, (typically 5 to 7), and normally has an orange-yellow tipped cerata, although in rare cases this colour is absent.
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 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 Dendronotidae
Dendronotidae
Dendronotidae is a family of sea slugs, nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Tritonioidea.This family is within the clade Cladobranchia .-Description:...
.
Distribution
This animal can be found along the west coast of North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
from Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to 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...
.
Description
This species grows to a maximum length of 3.5 cm. It has an opaque white line on the 'tail' but usually has more than four pairs of cerataCerata
Cerata are anatomical structures found in nudibranch sea slugs, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks.They are dorsal and lateral outgrowths on the upper surfaces of the body....
, (typically 5 to 7), and normally has an orange-yellow tipped cerata, although in rare cases this colour is absent.
Further reading
- Robilliard, G.A. (1970) The systematics and some aspects of the ecology of the genus Dendronotus (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia). The Veliger, 12(4): 433–479.