| Kalinga ornata | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Nudibranchia |
| Superfamily: | Polyceroidea |
| Family: | Polyceridae |
| Genus: | Kalinga |
| Species: | K. ornata |
| Binomial name | |
| Kalinga ornata | |
Kalinga ornata is a species of large, colourful nudibranch in the family Polyceridae. It is the only species in the genus Kalinga, which is the type genus of the subfamily Kalinginae. [2]
Kalinga ornata resides in the deep coastal waters of the Western Indo-Pacific (though it has also been reported from Hawaii). [3] [4] While it occasionally washes up in shallow regions, live individuals have been observed by divers at a depth of 6 m, [5] they have been trawled from depths of 76 m, [6] and observed by an ROV at a depth of 182 m. [4]
Kalinga ornata is nocturnal, reaching sizes of at least 130 mm, and prefers sandy or silty substrate. [3] [5] [7] It has been shown to feed on brittle stars, a completely unique diet for a nudibranch. [8]