The iridescent nudibranch, Notobryon sp, is an undescribed 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 scyllid

Scyllaeidae

Scyllaeidae is a family of sea slugs, nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Tritonioidea.This family is within the clade Cladobranchia .- Taxonomy :...

 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...

, and is found in South Africa. It is 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 Scyllaeidae

Scyllaeidae

Scyllaeidae is a family of sea slugs, nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Tritonioidea.This family is within the clade Cladobranchia .- Taxonomy :...

.

Distribution

This species is found around the South African coast from Elands Bay

Elands Bay

Elands Bay is a town in South Africa, situated in the Western Cape Province, on the Atlantic Ocean, at . The town is located about 220 kilometres north from Cape Town...

 to Jeffreys Bay

Jeffreys Bay

Jeffreys Bay is a town located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town is situated just off the N2 Highway, about an hour's drive southwest of Port Elizabeth.- History :...

. It is usually found intertidally but has been found to 20 m.

Description

The iridescent nudibranch is a medium-sized (up to 50 mm) smooth-bodied nudibranch. The body is reddish-brown with iridescent blue-green spots on its sides and back. The smooth rhinophores are surrounded by cup-like sheaths. Two sets of wispy 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 flanked by flattened lobes extending from the body.

Ecology

The iridescent nudibranch feeds on hydroids. It can swim when disturbed using lateral movements of its body.