Antiopella cristata

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Antiopella cristata
Visible caruncle on Janolus cristatus.JPG
Antiopella cristata, head end towards the top of the image
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Cladobranchia
Family: Janolidae
Genus: Antiopella
Species:
A. cristata
Binomial name
Antiopella cristata
(Delle Chiaje, 1841) [1]
Synonyms
  • Antiopa splendidaAlder & Hancock, 1848
  • Eolidia cristata(Delle Chiaje, 1841)
  • Eolis cristataDelle Chiaje, 1841
  • Janolus cristatus(Delle Chiaje, 1841)
  • Janus spinolaeVérany, 1846

Antiopella cristata, sometimes known by the common name crested aeolis, is a species of nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Janolidae. [2] [3]

Contents

Taxonomy

Previously some authors synonymised Antiopella with Janolus and assigned the genus Janolus to the Janolidae family (see ITIS.gov [4] or AnimalDiversity [5] ), others (see Seaslug Forum [6] ) to the family of Zephyrinidae, and these were synonymised names of Proctonotidae (see WoRMS). [7] In 2019 an integrated taxonomic study reinstated Antiopella and Janolus as separate genera and placed them in the family Janolidae. [8]

Description

This species is semi-transparent and has an oval-shaped outline. It is cream or light brown in colour, and grows to approximately 7.5 cm in length. The head has oral tentacles that are short. [9]

The lateral cerata are numerous, have a smooth surface and an inflated appearance. The central digestive gland lobe is thin and brown in colour and can be seen through each ceras. These gland lobes divide at the tip of the cerata into numerous terminal branches, distinguishing Janolids from Aeolid nudibranchs. The tips of the cerata are bluish-white and iridescent. [10]

The white surface colouration that is present on the cerata also appears in patches or lines along the bare central dorsum, as well as around the lamellate rhinophores and on the metapodium. The rhinophores are joined together at their bases with a swollen and wrinkled accessory caruncle. Both the rhinophores and median sensory caruncle are somewhat darker in colour than the rest of the body. [9]

Distribution

Antiopella cristata has been found as far north as Norway down through the British Isles and the French Atlantic coast. [11] [9] It has also been recorded in Moroccan waters as well as in the western Mediterranean Sea. [10] [12] [13] [14]

Habitat

It is found at depths of up to 40 metres, only in calm, clean water, on hard substrata in the sublittoral zone. [9]

Biology

Antiopella cristata eats erect bryozoans of the species Alcyonidium gelatinosum , Bicellariella ciliata and in the genus Bugula and Bugulina , such as Bugulina turbinata , Bugula plumosa , Bugula neritina and possibly species in the genus Cellaria . [15] [10]

The spawn of this species appear as a light pink or white string forming a wavy, circular pattern. The eggs themselves are contained within packets with transparent patches in between. This gives them the appearance of beads. [10]

Related Research Articles

Nudibranch Order of gastropods

Nudibranchs are a group of soft-bodied, marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have been given colourful nicknames to match, such as "clown," "marigold," "splendid," "dancer," "dragon," or "sea rabbit." Currently, about 3,000 valid species of nudibranchs are known.

Janolus is a genus of small to large sea slugs, or more accurately nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks, in the family Proctonotidae. The name Janolus is derived from the two-headed god Janus, in ancient Roman mythology.

Metarminoidea Superfamily of gastropods

Metarminoidea is a provisional taxonomic superfamily of colourful sea slugs, aeolid nudibranchs, marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs in the clade Nudibranchia.

Cerata Anatomical structures found in nudibranch sea slugs

Cerata, singular ceras, are anatomical structures found externally in nudibranch sea slugs, especially in aeolid nudibranchs, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the clade Aeolidida. The word ceras comes from the Greek word "κέρας", meaning "horn", a reference to the shape of these structures.

Diverticulum (mollusc anatomy)

As applied to mollusks, the New Latin term diverticulum is an anatomical feature. The term is most often encountered in the plural form as "diverticula", "hepatic diverticula", or "digestive diverticula", which are anatomical terms for organs which are visible from the outside of the body in a clade of sea slugs known as aeolid nudibranchs, marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs.

<i>Dirona albolineata</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Janolus capensis</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Janolus longidentatus</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Favorinus tsuruganus</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Paraflabellina ischitana</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Edmundsella pedata</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Pacifia goddardi</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Scyllaea pelagica</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Aeolidiella glauca</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Anteaeolidiella lurana</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Tenellia phoenix</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Spurilla neapolitana</i> Species of gastropod

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.

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<i>Janolus savinkini</i> Species of gastropod

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References

  1. ↑ Delle Chiaje, S. (1841-1844). Descrizione e notomia degli animali invertebrati della Sicilia citeriore osservati vivi negli anni 1822-1830. Batteli & Co., Naples. Parts 1-8. page(s): vol. 7, pl. 88 fig. 1-12; vol. 8, p. 6 [1844]
  2. ↑ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Antiopella cristata (Delle Chiaje, 1841)". Marinespecies.org. 2019-04-15. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  3. ↑ Gary R. McDonald Nudibranch Systematic Index (2nd ed.), University of California Santa Cruz University of California Santa Cruz in Institute of Marine Sciences, (2009).
  4. ↑ IT IS Report
  5. ↑ IT IS Report Animal Diversity
  6. ↑ The Sea Slug Forum Australian Museum
  7. ↑ Proctonotidae at WoRMS
  8. ↑ Pola M., Hallas J.M. & Gosliner T.M. (2019). Welcome back Janolidae and Antiopella: Improving the understanding of Janolidae and Madrellidae (Cladobranchia, Heterobranchia) with description of four new species. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 57(2): 345-368., page(s): 356, figs 4d, 6a-c, 7
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Marine Species Identification Portal : Janolus cristatus". Species-identification.org. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Antiopella cristata - Marine Life Encyclopedia". Habitas.org.uk. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  11. ↑ Thomas E. Thompson et G.H. Brown, Biology of Opisthobranch Molluscs : The standard work on British nudibranchs, with up to date information and colour paintings of nearly all species, vol. 2, Ray Society, 1984 ( ISBN   0903874180)
  12. ↑ Thomas E. Thompson, Molluscs: Benthic opisthobranchs, Leiden, Brill, coll. « Synopses of the British Fauna » (no 8), 1988 ( ISBN   9004084398)
  13. ↑ R. Cattaneo-Vietti, R. Chemello et R. Gianuzzi-Savelli, Atlas of Mediterranean nudibranchs, Roma, Editrice La Conchiglia, 1990, 264 p. (OCLC 26035712, LCCN 93155161)
  14. ↑ Egidio Trainito, Nudibranchi del Mediterraneo. Guida al riconoscimento dei molluschi opistobranchi, 2005ª ed., Milano, Il Castello, 2005, ISBN   88-8039-438-X.
  15. ↑ Gary R. McDonald, James W. Nybakken, A List of the Worldwide Food Habits of Nudibranchs, in University of California Santa Cruz.
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