Goniobranchus fidelis

Last updated

Faithful sea slug
Chromodoris fidelis.jpg
Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Goniobranchus
Species:
G. fidelis
Binomial name
Goniobranchus fidelis
(Kelaart, 1858) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Chromodoris fidelis (Kelaart, 1858)
  • Chromodoris flammulata Bergh, 1905
  • Chromodoris krishna Rudman, 1973
  • Chromodoris lactea Bergh, 1905
  • Doris fidelis Kelaart, 1858 (basionym)
  • Glossodoris fidelis (Kelaart, 1858)

Goniobranchus fidelis, also commonly known as the faithful sea slug, is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Goniobranchus fidelis. Posterior to the right. Chromodoris fidelis 2.jpg
Goniobranchus fidelis. Posterior to the right.

Description

Goniobranchus fidelis can reach more than 25 mm (0.98 in) in length. [5] The foot of the animal is cream in color; it is elongate and is almost covered by the edges of the wide mantle. The more central part of the mantle has a creamy-white area with scalloped edges, whereas the entire wide margin of the mantle is orange or red. Where the two differently coloured areas meet, there is a burgundy-colored border which varies in width from one animal to the other. [6] The rhinophores are laminated, contractile and greyish in color with lighter colour at the tip. The shade of grey varies from one individual to another. The gills are the same colour as the rhinophores and they are retractable. [7] [8]

Distribution and habitat

This species was described from Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean. The distribution of Goniobranchus fidelis includes the tropical Indo-West Pacific and Red Sea. [5] [9] Its habitat is the external reef area as well on the top or on the slope up to 20 m (66 ft) deep with a preference for dead corals. [10]

Biology

This sea slug is benthic and diurnal, moves without any fear of being taken for a prey, because of the presence of defensive glands distributed in its body tissues and shown to the potential predators through its warning coloration.

Related Research Articles

<i>Goniobranchus coi</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus coi is a species of very colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus geminus</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus geminus, also known as the gem sea slug, is a species of very colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus preciosus</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus preciosus is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus annulatus</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus annulatus is a species of sea slug, a very colourful dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus aureomarginatus</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus aureomarginatus is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus lekker</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus lekker is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

Goniobranchus galactos is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus gleniei</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus gleniei is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

Goniobranchus hunterae is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus roboi</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus roboi, common name the tooth-edged chromodoris, is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. This species was transferred from Chromodoris to Goniobranchus in 2012.

<i>Goniobranchus rufomaculatus</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus rufomaculatus is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus tennentanus</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus tennentanus is a species of colourful sea slug in the family Chromodorididae.

Goniobranchus trimarginatus is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus verrieri</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus verrieri is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus tumuliferus</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus tumuliferus is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus rubrocornutus</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus rubrocornutus is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus sinensis</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus sinensis is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Ardeadoris averni</i> Species of gastropod

Ardeadoris averni is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. It was transferred to the genus Ardeadoris on the basis of DNA evidence.

Goniobranchus cazae is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Goniobranchus leopardus</i> Species of gastropod

Goniobranchus leopardus, is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

References

  1. Kelaart, Edward Frederick. 1858. Descriptions of new and little known species of Ceylon nudibranchiate molluscs and zoophytes. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Ceylon Branch, Colombo 3(1):76-139, 2 pls. page 97.
  2. 1 2 Bouchet, P. (2012). Goniobranchus fidelis. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2012-05-02
  3. Rudman W. B. (1985). "The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: Chromodoris aureomarginata, C. verrieri and C. fidelis colour groups". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 83: 241-299. doi : 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1985.tb00875.x
  4. Johnson R.F. & Gosliner T.M. (2012) Traditional taxonomic groupings mask evolutionary history: A molecular phylogeny and new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs. PLoS ONE 7(4): e33479
  5. 1 2 Rudman, W.B., 1999 (June 1) Chromodoris fidelis (Kelaart, 1858). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  6. Mitel Cédric, Corolla Jean-Pierre, Warren Lindsay, Leon Virginie, (2015) Goniobranchus fidelis (Kelaart, 1858). in : DORIS, 8/2/2015
  7. Debelius, H. & Kuiter, R.H. (2007) Nudibranchs of the world. ConchBooks, Frankfurt, 360 pp. ISBN   978-3-939767-06-0 page(s): 150
  8. Gosliner, T.M., Behrens, D.W. & Valdés, Á. (2008) Indo-Pacific Nudibranchs and seaslugs. A field guide to the world's most diverse fauna. Sea Challengers Natural History Books, Washington, 426 pp. page(s): 217
  9. Rudman W.B. & Darvell B.W. (1990) Opisthobranch molluscs of Hong Kong: Part 1. Goniodorididae, Onchidorididae, Triophidae, Gymnodorididae, Chromodorididae (Nudibranchia). Asian Marine Biology 7: 31-79. page(s): 58
  10. Bidgrain, P. (2105) Chromodoris fidelis (Kelaart, 1858) South-west Indian Ocean Seaslug site