Luisella

Luisella
Luisella babai
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura clade Nudipleura clade Nudibranchia clade Dexiarchia clade Cladobranchia clade Aeolidida
Superfamily:	Flabellinoidea
Family:	Samlidae
Genus:	Luisella Korshunova, Martynov, Bakken, Evertsen, Fletcher, Mudianta, Saito, Lundin, Schrödl & Picton, 2017 [1]
Species:	L. babai
Binomial name
Luisella babai (Schmekel, 1972) [2]
Synonyms
Flabellina babaiSchmekel, 1972

Luisella is a monotypic genus of sea slugs, specifically aeolid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Samlidae. ^[1] It's one species is Luisella babai. ^{[3] [4]}

Etymology

The specific epithet babai honors the Japanese malacologist Kikutaro Baba. ^[5]

Distribution

This species was described from the Mediterranean Sea where it is a fairly common species. It is also present in the Adriatic Sea and it has also been reported from the Atlantic coasts of Spain, Portugal and Senegal. ^[6] It inhabits rocky bottoms at depths of 5 to 50 m. ^[5]

Description

Luisella babai can reach a length of about 30–53 millimetres (1.2–2.1 in). ^[5] Body is usually white to light blue, elongated and translucent with a white edge and a long sharp pointed tail. ^[5] Cerata are arranged in groups of 3-9. They show the same body color with yellow-orange rings on the terminal parts. The two long tentacles in their anterior part have the same color of the body. Also the two rhinophores in their upper part shows the same color of the body, with a yellow terminal part. Digestive system and liver are visible in transparency. ^{[5] [7]}

This species is rather similar to Samla bicolor (Kelaart, 1858), but S. bicolor can be found only in the Indo-Pacific. ^[5]

Biology

Hermaphrodite, like all nudibranchs, it deposits on the branches of the hydrozoans a white gelatinous spiral cord composed of thousands of eggs from which five to eight days later veliger larvae hatch. These nudibranchs feed on hydroids , manly Campanularia , Bougainvillia and Eudendrium species. ^[5]

Gallery

• 
  L. babai spawn
• 
  L. babai in the coast of Portugal
• 
  Cnidocysts

References

1. Korshunova, T.; Martynov, A.; Bakken, T.; Evertsen, J.; Fletcher, K.; Mudianta, W.; Saito, H.; Lundin, K.; Schrödl, M.; Picton, B. (2017). Polyphyly of the traditional family Flabellinidae affects a major group of Nudibranchia: aeolidacean taxonomic reassessment with descriptions of several new families, genera, and species (Mollusca, Gastropoda). ZooKeys. 717: 1-139.
2. Schmekel L. (1972). Flabellina babai n. sp., ein neuer Aeolidier (Gastr. Nudibr.) aus dem Mittelmeer. Pubblicazioni della Stazione Zoologica di Napoli 38: 316-327
3. Gofas, S. (2015). Flabellina babai Schmekel, 1972. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-10-25
4. Picton, B. (2017). Luisella Korshunova, Martynov, Bakken, Evertsen, Fletcher, Mudianta, Saito, Lundin, Schrödl & Picton, 2017. In: MolluscaBase (2017). Accessed on 2018-01-15.
5. DORIS - Données d'Observations pour la Reconnaissance et l'Identification de la faune et la flore Subaquatiques (in French)
6. Rudman, W.B., 2002 (June 10) Flabellina babai Schmekel, 1972. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
7. T.M. Gosliner, R.C. Willian Review of the Flabellinidae from the Tropical Indo-Pacific The Veliger Vol. 34 - California Malacozoological Society - Northern California Malacozoological Club

Bibliography

• Gary R. McDonald, University of California Santa Cruz Nudibranch Systematic Index University of California Santa Cruz (PDF), in Institute of Marine Sciences (2006).
• Egidio Trainito, Nudibranchi del Mediterraneo. Guida al riconoscimento dei molluschi opistobranchi, 2005ª ed., Milano, Il Castello, 2005, ISBN   88-8039-438-X.

External links

• Photos of Luisella on Sealife Collection