| Spanish shawl Flabellinopsis iodinea | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Nudibranchia |
| Suborder: | Cladobranchia |
| Family: | Flabellinopsidae |
| Genus: | Flabellinopsis |
| Species: | F. iodinea |
| Binomial name | |
| Flabellinopsis iodinea (Cooper, 1863) | |
| Synonyms | |
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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.
This species is native to the west coast of North America and farther south. It has been reported as far north as British Columbia, Canada, and as far south as Punta Asunción, Baja California Sur, Mexico. In addition it is found in the Gulf of California and the Galapagos Islands.
It has been found off the coast of Santa Catalina Island, California. [1] It has also been found off the coast of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and San Diego, California .
This nudibranch displays a stunning set of colors: the body is purple, the cerata are orange and the rhinophore s are scarlet. The neon orange appendages on the back of Flabellinopsis iodinea are the cerata which extract oxygen from the sea water they are surrounded by and live in. The cerata are also extensions of the digestive system, and are used to store the stinging cells of the anemones and fan-like hydroids they eat. The red rhinophores are sensory structures used for detecting the presence of possible mates and prey. The purple, red, and orange colors are derived from a single carotenoid pigment, astaxanthin. The pigment appears in three modified states, leading to the three distinct colors. [2]
Scientists think the reason why the Spanish Shawl's gills are orange is so they can camouflage with their prey while they are eating. The orange gills on their backs are also a warning to potential predators. The color tells their predators that they are either poisonous or distasteful.
Spanish shawls are hermaphrodites, which means they have both male and female reproductive organs. However, self-fertilisation very rarely occurs. When threatened by other predators, they can gracefully move away by flexing their body strongly and pushing off from the substrate and into midwater.
Nudibranchs belong to the order Nudibranchia, a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs that 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", and "sea rabbit". Currently, about 3,000 valid species of nudibranchs are known.
Aeolidia papillosa, known as the common grey sea slug, is a species of nudibranch in the family Aeolidiidae.
The purple lady nudibranch, Paraflabellina funeka, is a species of aeolid nudibranch, and is a very colourful sea slug. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Flabellinidae.
Trinchesia speciosa, common name the "candy nudibranch", is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Trinchesiidae.
Ziminella salmonacea, common name the salmon aeolis, is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Paracoryphellidae.
Paraflabellina ischitana is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Flabellinidae.
Coryphellina marcusorum, is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Flabellinidae.
Pacifia goddardi is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Unidentiidae. This species was recently discovered by Jeff Goddard, and named by his friend, Terry Gosliner. It was found while searching for another species in Carpinteria State Beach in Santa Barbara, California.
Orienthella cooperi is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Flabellinidae.
Flabellina dushia is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Flabellinidae.
Coryphella verrucosa, is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Coryphellidae.
Coryphellina rubrolineata is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Flabellinidae.
Carronella pellucida is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Flabellinidae. It is occasionally referred to as the milky white sea slug, the pellucid aeolid, or the red-gilled nudibranch, though these names are not commonly accepted in formal settings.
Apata pricei is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Apataidae.
Polaria polaris is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Paracoryphellidae.
Samla riwo is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Samlidae.
Samla rubropurpurata is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Samlidae.
Edmundsella vansyoci is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Flabellinidae.
Edmundsella albomaculata is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Flabellinidae.
Janolus flavoanulatus is a sea slug species. The specific name is derived from Latin words flavus (“yellow”) and anulatus (“ringed”). These soft-bodied mollusks are known for their extraordinary colors and prominent forms. The first description of this species was reported by researcher Terry Gosliner, a leading researcher in the evolutionary history of nudibranchs. Upon his conducted research in the Philippines, Gosliner named Janolus flavoanulatus for its yellow ring around its cerata.
