Mexichromis aurora

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Mexichromis aurora
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Infraclass: Euthyneura
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Mexichromis
Species:
M. aurora
Binomial name
Mexichromis aurora
(Johnson R.F. & Gosliner, 1998) [1]
Synonyms
  • Pectenodoris aurora R. F. Johnson & Gosliner, 1998

Mexichromis aurora is a species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae. [2]

In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. Other ways of defining species include their karyotype, DNA sequence, morphology, behaviour or ecological niche. In addition, paleontologists use the concept of the chronospecies since fossil reproduction cannot be examined. While these definitions may seem adequate, when looked at more closely they represent problematic species concepts. For example, the boundaries between closely related species become unclear with hybridisation, in a species complex of hundreds of similar microspecies, and in a ring species. Also, among organisms that reproduce only asexually, the concept of a reproductive species breaks down, and each clone is potentially a microspecies.

Sea slug group of marine invertebrates with varying levels of resemblance to terrestrial slugs

Sea slug is a common name for some marine invertebrates with varying levels of resemblance to terrestrial slugs. Most creatures known as sea slugs are actually gastropods, i.e. they are sea snails that over evolutionary time have either completely lost their shells, or have seemingly lost their shells due to having a greatly reduced or internal shell. The name "sea slug" is most often applied to nudibranchs, as well as to a paraphyletic set of other marine gastropods without obvious shells.

Nudibranch order of molluscs

Nudibranchs are a group of soft-bodied, marine gastropod molluscs which 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", and "dragon". Currently, about 3,000 valid species of nudibranchs are known.

Contents

Distribution

The holotype of this species was collected at Seragaki Beach, ENE of Maekizaki, Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa, Japan at 58 m (190 ft) depth. Additional specimens from depths as shallow as 10 m (33 ft) from the Ryukyu Islands, Lembeh Strait, north Sulawesi, Indonesia and Maricaban Island, Batangas Province, Luzon Island, Philippines were included in the original description. The distribution is entirely contained within the range of the more common Mexichromis trilineata and both species can be found at the same site. [1]

Holotype The example of an organism used to describe its species

A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype. Under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), a holotype is one of several kinds of name-bearing types. In the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN) and ICZN the definitions of types are similar in intent but not identical in terminology or underlying concept.

Ryukyu Islands Chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan

The Ryukyu Islands, also known as the Nansei Islands or the Ryukyu Arc, are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima Islands, with Yonaguni the westernmost. The larger are mostly high islands and the smaller mostly coral. The largest is Okinawa Island.

Japan Country in East Asia

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast of the Asian continent and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea in the south.

Description

Originally described in the genus Pectenodoris this species is similar in anatomy and colouration to Mexichromis trilineata . [3] Both of these species share a similar radula, anatomy and colour pattern which was considered sufficiently distinctive to define the genus Pectenodoris [4] but this genus was merged with Mexichromis on the basis of a DNA phylogenetic study. The two species of Pectenodoris form a clade which is sister to the other Mexichromis species. [5]

<i>Mexichromis trilineata</i> species of mollusc

Mexichromis trilineata is a colourful species of sea slug, specifically a dorid nudibranch. This marine gastropod mollusc is in the family Chromodorididae. In 2012 the genus Pectenodoris was included into Mexichromis.

The radula is an anatomical structure used by mollusks for feeding, sometimes compared to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food enters the oesophagus. The radula is unique to the molluscs, and is found in every class of mollusc except the bivalves, who use instead cilia, waving filaments that bring minute organisms to the mouth.

Clade A group of organisms that consists of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants

A clade, also known as monophyletic group, is a group of organisms that consists of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants, and represents a single "branch" on the "tree of life".

Ecology

Pectenodoris species feed on species of the sponge Dysidea . [6]

Related Research Articles

Chromodorididae family of molluscs

The Chromodorididae, or chromodorids, are a taxonomic family of colourful, sea slugs; dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Doridoidea. “Chromodorid nudibranchs are among the most gorgeously coloured of all animals.” The over 360 described species are primarily found in tropical and subtropical waters, as members of coral reef communities, specifically associated with their sponge prey. The chromodorids are the most speciose family of opisthobranchs. They range in size from <10mm to over 30 cm, although most species are approximately 15–30 mm in size.

<i>Hypselodoris tryoni</i> species of mollusc

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

<i>Ardeadoris cruenta</i> species of mollusc

Ardeadoris cruenta is a species of very colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. Its name is derived from the feminine form of the Latin word cruentus, which means "stained with blood" and is a reference to the red spots on its upper dorsum. It was transferred to the genus Ardeadoris on the basis of DNA evidence.

<i>Hypselodoris zephyra</i> species of mollusc

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

<i>Doriprismatica atromarginata</i> species of mollusc

Doriprismatica atromarginata is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.

William B. Rudman, usually known as Bill Rudman, is a malacologist from New Zealand and Australia. In particular he studies sea slugs, opisthobranch gastropod molluscs, and has named many species of nudibranchs.

<i>Chromodoris dianae</i> species of mollusc

Chromodoris dianae is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

Durvilledoris was a genus of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks in the family Chromodorididae. This genus has become a synonym of Mexichromis Bertsch, 1977 Although the type species of this genus was transferred to Mexichromis two species were not reallocated nor mentioned in the text.

<i>Verconia</i> genus of molluscs

Verconia is a genus of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Chromodoris michaeli</i> species of mollusc

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

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

<i>Hypselodoris reidi</i> species of mollusc

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

<i>Mexichromis pusilla</i> species of mollusc

Mexichromis pusilla is a species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.

Mexichromis similaris is a species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.

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

Mexichromis circumflava is a species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Mexichromis katalexis</i> species of mollusc

Mexichromis katalexis is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.

References

  1. 1 2 Johnson R.F. & Gosliner T.M. (1998) The genus Mexichromis (Nudibranchia Chromodorididae) from the Indo-Pacific, with the description of a new species. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 50 (12): 295-306.
  2. ↑ MolluscaBase (2018). Mexichromis aurora (R. F. Johnson & Gosliner, 1998). Accessed on 2019-01-09.
  3. ↑ Rudman, W.B., 2002 (July 29) Pectenodoris aurora Johnson & Gosliner, 1998. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  4. ↑ Rudman, W. B. (1984). The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: a review of the genera. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 81(2): 115-273, page 159
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Rudman, W. B. & Bergquist, P. R. (2007) A review of feeding specificity in the sponge-feeding Chromodorididae (Nudibranchia: Mollusca). Molluscan Research, 27(2): 60-88
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