Hypselodoris fontandraui
Encyclopedia
Hypselodoris fontandraui is a species
of colourful sea slug
or dorid nudibranch
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family
Chromodorididae
.
This species can reach a total length of at least 30 mm and has been observed feeding on yellow sponges from the genus Dysidea.
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...
or 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
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
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 nudibranch is known from the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Western Mediterranean.Description
Hypselodoris fontandraui typically has a blue to purple body with yellow lines running down its sides and a single yellow-cream line on its upper dorsum. The upper dorsum is also often marked with light blue streaks near the mantle edge. Its mantle is edged in orange and it has black-purple gills and rhinophores. There is considerable colour variation within this species.This species can reach a total length of at least 30 mm and has been observed feeding on yellow sponges from the genus Dysidea.