Nembrotha cristata

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Nembrotha cristata
Nembrotha cristata 2.jpg
Side view
Nembrotha cristata bunaken.jpg
Top view in Bunaken National Park
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Superfamily: Polyceroidea
Family: Polyceridae
Genus: Nembrotha
Species:
N. cristata
Binomial name
Nembrotha cristata
Bergh, 1877 [1]

Nembrotha cristata is a species of colourful sea slug, a polycerid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. [2] This species of sea slug is black with green markings; adults are around 50 mm long, and they live on rock or coral reefs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific Ocean.

Contents

Description

Nembrotha cristata is a large black nembrothine ("nembrothid" in much of the literature) growing to at least 50 mm long. Its body is covered with raised green nodules. The rhinophores and gills are black-edged in green. Other than the difference in colour, this species is similar in appearance to Nembrotha yonowae . [3]

Distribution

This nudibranch species was described from the Philippines. It occurs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific Ocean. [4] It lives at depths between three and twenty metres. These sea slugs live on coral or rock reefs and have a lifespan of up to a year. [4]

Behaviour

The bright colours of this nudibranch species are an aposematic warning to predators. These sea slugs eat compound tunicates. Like all opisthobranchs, they are hermaphrodites. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nudibranch</span> Order of gastropods

Nudibranchs belong to the order Nudibranchia, a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs that 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", "dragon", and "sea rabbit". Currently, about 3,000 valid species of nudibranchs are known.

<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.

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

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>Chromodoris annae</i> Species of gastropod

Chromodoris annae also known as the Anna's magnificent sea slug is a species of sea slug, a very colourful nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Nembrotha lineolata</i> Species of gastropod

Nembrotha lineolata is a species of nudibranch, a sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. It is found in shallow water in the Indo-Pacific. It was first described in 1905 by the Danish malacologist Rudolph Bergh. The type locality is Selayar Island, Indonesia.

<i>Nembrotha</i> Genus of gastropods

Nembrotha is a genus of sea slugs, nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Polyceridae.

<i>Chromodoris elisabethina</i> Species of gastropod

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

<i>Trinchesia sibogae</i> Species of gastropod

Trinchesia sibogae is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Trinchesiidae.

<i>Nembrotha kubaryana</i> Species of gastropod

Nembrotha kubaryana, also known as the variable neon slug or the dusky nembrotha, is a species of colorful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae.

<i>Nembrotha chamberlaini</i> Species of mollusc

Nembrotha chamberlaini is a species of colorful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. It was first described in 1997.

<i>Tambja morosa</i> Species of gastropod

Tambja morosa, also known as Tambja kushimotoensis or gloomy nudibranch, is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the subfamily Nembrothinae within the family Polyceridae.

<i>Nembrotha purpureolineata</i> Species of gastropod

Nembrotha purpureolineata is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae. Nembrotha rutilans, classified as a separate species until 2008, has now been reclassified as Nembrotha purpureolineata.

<i>Nembrotha milleri</i> Species of gastropod

Nembrotha milleri is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. This species was named after the nudibranch enthusiast Michael D. Miller.

<i>Glossodoris rufomarginata</i> Species of gastropod

Glossodoris rufomarginata, commonly called white-margin sea slug or caramel nudibranch, is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

<i>Tambja sagamiana</i> Species of gastropod

Tambja sagamiana is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae.

<i>Nembrotha rosannulata</i> Species of gastropod

Nembrotha rosannulata is a species of colorful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. It was first described in 2008.

<i>Nembrotha aurea</i> Species of gastropod

Nembrotha aurea is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. It was first described in 2008.

<i>Nembrotha livingstonei</i> Species of gastropod

Nembrotha livingstonei is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. It was first described in 1933.

<i>Nembrotha yonowae</i> Species of gastropod

Nembrotha yonowae is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. It was first described in 1992.

<i>Nembrotha mullineri</i> Species of gastropod

Nembrotha mullineri is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. It was first described in 1997.

References

  1. ↑ Bergh, L.S.R. (1877). Malacologische Untersuchungen, 2. In C. Semper, Reisen im Archipel der Philippinen 2 (11): 429–494, pls. 54-57.
  2. ↑ Bouchet, P. (2015). Nembrotha cristata Bergh, 1877. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-09-06
  3. ↑ Pola, M.; Cervera, J. L.; Gosliner, T. M. (2008). "Revision of the Indo-Pacific genus Nembrotha (Nudibranchia: Dorididae: Polyceridae), with a description of two new species". Scientia Marina. 72 (1): 145–183. doi: 10.3989/scimar.2008.72n1145 .
  4. 1 2 3 Rudman, W.B., 1999 (January 21) Nembrotha cristata Bergh, 1877. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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