| Aeolidiella alderi | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Nudibranchia |
| Suborder: | Cladobranchia |
| Family: | Aeolidiidae |
| Genus: | Aeolidiella |
| Species: | A. alderi |
| Binomial name | |
| Aeolidiella alderi | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Aeolidiella alderi is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch in the family Aeolidiidae. [2] It is native to northwestern Europe where it occurs in the intertidal zone. It is a predator and feeds on sea anemones.
This is a small nudibranch that can reach a length of 37 mm (1.5 in). The body shape is flattened and broad, but not as wide as Aeolidia papillosa and Aeolidia filomenae . The pair of oral tentacles on the head are longer than the rhinophores. The dorsal surface of the body has up to 16 oblique rows of cerata on either side. These are outgrowths of the body wall that increase the area available for respiration, and contain extensions of the gut, so vary in colour according to the animal's diet. The first row of cerata have reduced digestive gland extensions and are white, forming a collar. The cerata are tipped with cnidosacs containing stinging cells, derived from the sea anemones that the nudibranch has eaten and which pass unmetabolized through its body. [3] [4]
The species was described from England. It was also recorded from the North Atlantic Ocean, off Ireland, the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. It is a shallow water species and occurs in the intertidal zone, under boulders and in rock pools. [4]
A carnivore, A. alderi feeds on sea anemones. It seems to have a preference for Cereus pedunculatus , Diadumene cincta and species of Sagartia such as Sagartia elegans and Sagartia troglodytes . It also feeds on Metridium dianthus , Sagartiogeton laceratus , Paractinia striata , Actinothoe sphyrodeta Aiptasia mutabilis , Anemonia viridis and Aulactinia verrucosa . [3] The rhinophores are sensory structures and are able to analyse the chemicals dissolved in the water around the sea slug, enabling it to detect its prey. Sea anemones are avoided by many predators because of their defensive stinging cells. The sea slug approaches a sea anemone with the greatest caution, gradually inching towards it, and extending the cerata that form the collar to two or three times their normal length. When close enough (fractions of a millimetre), the cnidosacs in the collar cerata are discharged into the column of the anemone, poisoning the tissues and causing necrosis. The sea slug can then feed. [3]
Reproduction is hermaphroditic. The eggs are large and are laid in a spiral string of mucus on the substrate. Development is direct, without any larval stage, the young crawling away after hatching. The juveniles have no cerata at first, and these develop as the animal grows. Reproduction seems to take place all year round, and the young reach maturity after several months of growth. [3]
The name honours Joshua Alder.
Sea slug is a common name for some marine invertebrates with varying levels of resemblance to terrestrial slugs. Most creatures known as sea slugs are gastropods, i.e. they are sea snails that, over evolutionary time, have either entirely lost their shells or have seemingly lost their shells due to having a significantly reduced or internal shell. The name "sea slug" is often applied to nudibranchs and a paraphyletic set of other marine gastropods without apparent shells.
Flabellinopsis iodinea, the Spanish shawl, is a species of aeolid nudibranch, a very colorful sea slug. This is a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Flabellinidae.
Aeolidia papillosa, known as the common grey sea slug, is a species of nudibranch in the family Aeolidiidae.
Janolus fuscus is a species of sea slug, or more accurately a nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Janolidae.
Trinchesia speciosa, common name the "candy nudibranch", is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Trinchesiidae.
Phyllodesmium is a genus of predatory sea slugs, aeolid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Myrrhinidae.
Aeolidiella is a genus of sea slugs, aeolid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Aeolidiidae.
Berghia is a genus of sea slugs, aeolid nudibranchs. They are shell-less marine gastropod molluscs in the family Aeolidiidae. They are covered in cerata which give them their unique tentacle look and color. Berghia are commonly found in shallow waters and their diet consists of strictly Aiptasia Anemone. This genus is now commonly used commercially to fight off Anemone populations in fish tanks.
Coryphellina rubrolineata is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Flabellinidae.
Apata pricei is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Apataidae.
Aeolidiella glauca is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch in the family Aeolidiidae.
A cnidosac is an anatomical feature that is found in the group of sea slugs known as aeolid nudibranchs, a clade of marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs. A cnidosac contains cnidocytes, stinging cells that are also known as cnidoblasts or nematocysts. These stinging cells are not made by the nudibranch, but by the species that it feeds upon. However, once the nudibranch is armed with these stinging cells, they are used in its own defense.
Anteaeolidiella saldanhensis, is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch. It is a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Aeolidiidae.
Anteaeolidiella oliviae, is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Aeolidiidae.
Berghia stephanieae is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Aeolidiidae. It was previously known as Aeolidiella stephanieae.
Spurilla neapolitana, the Neapolitan spurilla, is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Aeolidiidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. This species was first described as Eolis neapolitana by the Italian naturalist Stefano delle Chiaje in 1841. However, although some authorities quote the year as 1823, the species does not appear in the first volume of delle Chiaje's memoirs, which was published that year. The species was later reassigned to the genus Spurilla.
Cerberilla bernadettae is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Aeolidiidae.
Cerberilla mosslandica is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Aeolidiidae.
Aeolidiella sanguinea is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch in the family Aeolidiidae.
Aeolidia loui is a species of sea slugs, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Aeolidiidae. It has been regarded as the same species as the NE Atlantic Aeolidia papillosa but is now known to be a distinct species. Common names include shaggy mouse nudibranch, and shag-rug nudibranch.
