Nembrotha milleri
Encyclopedia
Nembrotha milleri is a species
of sea slug
, a dorid nudibranch
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae
. This species was named after the nudibranch enthusiast Michael D. Miller.
Ocean. There is another nudibranch species known only as Nembrotha sp. 14 in East Africa which may be a form of Nembrotha milleri.
.
The rhinophore
s and gills are typically black.
s. It has been seen feeding on the green-ringed ascidian, Sigillina signifera
.
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 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 Polyceridae
Polyceridae
Polyceridae is a taxonomic family of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks within the Superfamily Polyceroidea.- Taxonomy :...
. This species was named after the nudibranch enthusiast Michael D. Miller.
Distribution
This species occurs in the tropical Indo-PacificIndo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...
Ocean. There is another nudibranch species known only as Nembrotha sp. 14 in East Africa which may be a form of Nembrotha milleri.
Description
This animal can reach a total length of at least 60 mm. It has a grey-green to dark green body with blackish longitudinal wrinkles running down the length of the body. A different color form with pale yellowish green background has been observed around TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
The rhinophore
Rhinophore
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 and gills are typically black.
Ecology
Nembrotha milleri feeds on ascidians and tunicateTunicate
Tunicates, also known as urochordates, are members of the subphylum Tunicata, previously known as Urochordata, a group of underwater saclike filter feeders with incurrent and excurrent siphons that is classified within the phylum Chordata. While most tunicates live on the ocean floor, others such...
s. It has been seen feeding on the green-ringed ascidian, Sigillina signifera
.