Brush nudibranch

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brush nudibranch
Brush nudibranch at Pinnacle DSC00569.JPG
Brush nudibranch with egg ribbons
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Cladobranchia
Family: Tritoniidae
Genus: Tritonia
Species:
T. sp.2
Binomial name
Tritonia sp.2

The brush nudibranch, Tritonia sp. 2, as designated by Gosliner, 1987, is a species of dendronotid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tritoniidae. As at November 2009, it remained undescribed by science.

Contents

Distribution

This species has only been found off South Africa, from the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula to Jeffreys Bay, intertidally to 40 m. [1] It appears to be endemic.

Description

Tritonia sp.2 001.jpg

The brush nudibranch reaches 50 mm in size. Its body is apricot-coloured with clusters of white spots on its notum. Its short rhinophores extend from cup-like sheaths. It has short paired branching projections down the length of its body. Short branching tentacles extend from the front of its head. [2]

Ecology

The brush nudibranch probably feeds on soft corals. Its egg mass is opaque, white and highly convoluted.

References

  1. ↑ GOSLINER, T.M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN   0-930118-13-8
  2. ↑ ZSILAVECZ, G. 2007. Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. ISBN   0-620-38054-3
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