The giraffe spot nudibranch, Ancula sp., as designated by Gosliner, 1987, 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 colourful 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...

, specifically a dorid

Doridacea

Doridacea is a taxonomic grouping of dorid nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks. included in the clade Euctenidiacea of the clade Nudibranchia.- Taxonomy :*Superfamily Doridoidea**Family Dorididae**Family Actinocyclidae...

 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 mollusc in the family Goniodorididae

Goniodorididae

Goniodorididae are a taxonomic family of sea slugs, specifically dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the order Opisthobranchia.-Genera:Genera in the family Goniodorididae include:* Ancula Lovén, 1846* Goniodoris Forbes & Goodsir, 1939...

. As of November 2009, it remained undescribed by science.

Distribution

This species is endemic to the South African coast and is found from the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula to the eastern shore of False Bay in less than 15 m.

Description

The giraffe spot nudibranch is a small (up to 20 mm) white-bodied nudibranch covered with regular brown patches and large annulate rhinophores. Its gill

Gill

A gill is a respiratory organ found in many aquatic organisms that extracts dissolved oxygen from water, afterward excreting carbon dioxide. The gills of some species such as hermit crabs have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are kept moist...

s are yellow and brown with paired projections alongside them. Its head has several pale projections.

Ecology

The giraffe spot nudibranch feeds on arborescent bryozoa

Bryozoa

The Bryozoa, also known as Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals, are a phylum of aquatic invertebrate animals. Typically about long, they are filter feeders that sieve food particles out of the water using a retractable lophophore, a "crown" of tentacles lined with cilia...

ns. Its egg mass is a wavy white ribbon.