Nembrotha kubaryana

Last updated

Nembrotha kubaryana
Nembrotha kubaryana.jpg
Feeding on tunicates
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia

clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea

clade

Contents

Doridacea
Superfamily:
Polyceroidea
Family:
Polyceridae
Subfamily:
Nembrothinae
Genus:
Nembrotha
Species:
N. kubaryana
Binomial name
Nembrotha kubaryana
Bergh, 1877
Synonyms [1] [2]
Nembrotha nigerrimaBergh, 1877

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. [3]

Synonymy

Its synonyms include Nembrotha nigerrima. [1] [2]

The two names Nembrotha nigerrima and N. kubaryana were published simultaneously by Rudolph Bergh in 1877, the first one on page 451, the second on page 454. Yonow & Hayward (1991) treated the two names as synonyms and, acting as first revisers, gave precedence to kubaryana over nigerrima. Pola et al. (2008) agreed with the synonymy, but initially rejected Yonow & Hayward's nomenclatural act, arguing that nigerrima had page precedence over kubaryana. However, the ICZN Code does not contain such a thing as "page precedence", and Yonow & Hayward's (1991) action was valid – and this position has been repeated by Yonow (2011). [3] Pola et al. reversed their conclusion and accepted Yonow's act as first reviser in a following paper later the same year. [2]

Distribution

This species occurs in the tropical Western Indo-Pacific. [4]

Description

This animal can reach a total length of more than 120 mm. It is a large dark-bodied nudibranch which may have green stripes running down the length of the body or have green raised spots. The margin of the foot and head is a vivid red-orange. The rhinophores and gills may be red or green. Nembrotha kubaryana is easily confused with a similar species, Nembrotha cristata although the latter has no red-orange border on its foot.

Ecology

The variable neon slug feeds on ascidians and has been observed feeding on the green-ringed ascidian, Sigillina signifera . [4]

Chemical defences

N. kubaryana uses the toxins in its prey ascidians to defend itself against predators. [5] It stores the ascidian's toxins in its tissues and then releases them in a slimy defensive mucus when alarmed.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<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>Nembrotha cristata</i> Species of gastropod

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

<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>Halgerda</i> Genus of gastropods

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

<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>Roboastra</i> Genus of gastropods

Roboastra is a genus of sea slugs, polycerid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Polyceridae. They are carnivorous, feeding on other species of nudibranch.

<i>Tambja</i> Genus of gastropods

Tambja is a genus of colorful sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks in the family Polyceridae.

<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>Tambja gabrielae</i> Species of gastropod

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

Tyrannodoris leonis is a species of sea slug, a polycerid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc 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 megalocera</i> Species of gastropod

Nembrotha megalocera is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. It was first described in 1990.

<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>Tyrannodoris</i> Genus of gastropods

Tyrannodoris is a genus of sea slugs, polycerid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Polyceridae. Most of these species were formerly considered to belong to the genus Roboastra. They are carnivorous, feeding on other species of nudibranch, especially similar looking species of Tambja.

Tyrannodoris caboverdensis is a species of sea slug, a polycerid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae.

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

Roboastra tentaculata is a species of sea slug, a polycerid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae.

References

  1. 1 2 Pola M., Cervera J. L. & Gosliner T. M. (2008) "Revision of the Indo-Pacific genus Nembrotha (Nudibranchia: Dorididae: Polyceridae), with description of two new species". Scientia Marina72(1): 145-183. doi:10.3989/scimar.2008.72n1145
  2. 1 2 3 Pola M., Cervera J. L. & Gosliner T. M. (2008) "Description of the First Roboastra Species (Nudibranchia, Polyceridae, Nembrothinae) from the Western Atlantic". Bulletin of Marine Science83(2): 391-399.
  3. 1 2 Bouchet, P. (2014). Nembrotha kubaryana Bergh, 1877. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=527322 on 2014-12-21
  4. 1 2 Seaslugforum.net
  5. ↑ Paul, V. J., Lindquist, N., Fenical, W., Chemical defenses of the tropical ascidian Atapozoa sp. and its nudibranch predators Nembrotha spp., MEPS 59:109-118 (1990)

Further reading


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.