Limacia clavigera

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Limacia clavigera
Limacia clavigera-JR01.jpg
Limacia clavigera grazing on Membranipora membranacea
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Polyceroidea
Family: Polyceridae
Genus: Limacia
Species:
L. clavigera
Binomial name
Limacia clavigera
Synonyms
  • Doris clavigeraO. F. Müller, 1776 (original combination)
  • Euplocamus plumosusThompson, 1840 [2]
  • Tergipes pulcherJohnston, 1834

Limacia clavigera, sometimes known by the common name orange-clubbed sea slug, is a sea slug, a species of dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Limacia clavigera is commonly found on the lower shore and in sublittoral algae belts along the Atlantic coast of Europe, including the British Isles, and from Norway to Portugal. [4] It has been found from the intertidal zone to depths of at least 20 m. [4] It is replaced by Limacia inesae in the Mediterranean Sea. [5]

It has also been reported along the South African coast from Saldanha Bay to Port Alfred. [6] This disjunct distribution was an indication of several related species being included under one name. Some of these South African animals are referable to Limacia lucida [7] and others belong to Limacia jellyi . [5]

Description

Limacia clavigera is a small (up to 20 mm), white-bodied dorid with numerous orange-tipped projections on its body and scattered, raised, orange spots on its notum. Its gills and perfoliate rhinophores are orange-tipped. [4]

Ecology

This species feeds on the encrusting bryozoan Electra pilosa as well as Membranipora membranacea and is often seen on encrusted red algae or kelp. Its egg ribbon is a flat broad spiral of several coils. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polyceridae</span> Family of gastropods

The Polyceridae are a taxonomic family of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks within the superfamily Polyceroidea.

<i>Hypselodoris zephyra</i> Species of gastropod

Hypselodoris zephyra is a species of colourful sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Acanthodoris pilosa</i> Species of gastropod

Acanthodoris pilosa, the hairy spiny doris, is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Onchidorididae. It is found in shallow water in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, its range extending from Norway to France, and also both on the eastern coast of Canada and the United States, and the Pacific coast from the Aleutian Islands to Morro Bay, California.

<i>Limacia cockerelli</i> Species of sea slug

Limacia cockerelli is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandela's nudibranch</span> Species of gastropod

Mandela's nudibranch, Mandelia mirocornata, is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc, the only member of the genus Mandelia and the family Mandeliidae. The genus and family name honor Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa.

<i>Okenia amoenula</i> Species of gastropod

The fiery nudibranch, Okenia amoenula, is a species of colourful sea slug, specifically a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.

<i>Polycera quadrilineata</i> Species of gastropod

Polycera quadrilineata, is a sea slug, a species of dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae. The specific epithet quadrilineata means four-lined and refers to the four longitudinal black lines present on the original specimen. This species is sometimes called the fourline nudibranch. In 2020 a integrative molecular and morphological study showed that P. quadrilineata was a complex of two species in the NE Atlantic and one of these species was given the new name Polycera norvegica.

<i>Limacia</i> Genus of gastropods

For the genus of plants, see Limacia (plant)

<i>Hypselodoris maridadilus</i> Species of gastropod

Hypselodoris maridadilus is a species of colourful sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae. It feeds on sponges.

Hypselodoris rudmani is a species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae. This species is named after the well known malacologist William B. Rudman.

Okenia angelica is a species of sea slug, specifically a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.

Trapania melaina is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.

<i>Trapania miltabrancha</i> Species of mollusc

Trapania miltabrancha is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.

<i>Trapania vitta</i> Species of gastropod

Trapania vitta is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.

<i>Limacia annulata</i> Species of gastropod

Limacia annulata, is a sea slug, a species of dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae.

<i>Limacia ornata</i> Species of gastropod

Limacia ornata, is a sea slug, a species of dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae.

<i>Limacia iberica</i> Species of gastropod

Limacia iberica, is a sea slug, a species of dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae.

<i>Limacia lucida</i> Species of gastropod

Limacia lucida is a sea slug, a species of dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae.

<i>Platydoris cinereobranchiata</i> Species of gastropod

Platydoris cinereobranchiata is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, shell-less marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Discodorididae.

References

  1. ↑ Müller Otto Frederik. 1776. Zoologiae Danicae. Prodromus seu animalium Daniae et Norvegiae ingenarum characteres, nomina, et synonyma imprimis popularium, xxxii + 282 pp.
  2. ↑ Thompson W., 1840: Contributions towards a knowledge of the Mollusca Nudibranchia and Mollusca Tunicata of Ireland, with descriptions of some apparently new species of Invertebrata Annals and Magazine of Natural History 5 (29): 84-102
  3. ↑ Rosenberg, G.; Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S. (2015). Limacia clavigera (O. F. Müller, 1776). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=140830 on 2015-12-23
  4. 1 2 3 4 Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2015). Limacia clavigera (O F Müller, 1776). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland. Accessed on 2015-3-30
  5. 1 2 Toms J.A., Pola M., Von der Heyden S. & Gosliner T.M. (2021). Disentangling species of the genus Limacia O.F. Müller, 1781, from southern Africa and Europe using integrative taxonomical methods, with the description of four new species. Marine Biodiversity. 51(1): 1-31.
  6. ↑ Gosliner, T.M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN   0-930118-13-8
  7. ↑ Caballer Gutiérrez, M., Almón Pazos, B., Pérez Dieste, J., (2015) The sea slug genus Limacia Müller, 1781 (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) in Europe. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 57:35-42.
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