Okenia zoobotryon

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Okenia zoobotryon
Okenia zoobotryon (MNHN-IM-2000-28179).jpeg
Okenia zoobotryon (holotype at MNHN, Paris)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Onchidoridoidea
Family: Goniodorididae
Genus: Okenia
Species:
O. zoobotryon
Binomial name
Okenia zoobotryon
(Smallwood, 1910)
Synonyms
  • Bermudella zoobotryon (Smallwood, 1910) [1]
  • Polycerella zoobotryon Smallwood, 1910

Okenia zoobotryon is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae. [2] It is normally found on the colonial bryozoan Amathia verticillata on which it lives and feeds.

Contents

Distribution

Okenia zoobotryon is found in the temperate and warm waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. It was also reported from the Canary Islands, Brazil and Australia, on the assumption that it had travelled with its host species. [3] This is now known to be incorrect and the animals from the Pacific Ocean have been shown to be distinct species. [4]

Description

Okenia zoobotryon is a small sea slug growing to between 3 and 6 mm (0.12 and 0.24 in) in length. The maximum recorded body length is 8 mm. [5] The rhinophores are unusual in that they have three to six cup-shaped folds on the posterior face. There are up to nine papillae (fleshy protuberances) in front of the gills and about six on either side of the mantle ridge. These papillae have slender stalks and globular tips. The colour of this sea slug is a translucent white speckled with brown spots on the mantle and with a few opaque white spots on the sides of the body and foot. [3] This species is similar in shape and arrangement of the papillae to Okenia mija , Okenia angelensis , Okenia harastii and Okenia distincta . [6] [7]

Ecology

It lives, feeds and lays its eggs primarily on the bryozoan Amathia verticillata . Occasionally the egg masses and adults are found on the bryozoan Scrupocellaria regularis and the red alga Gracilaria sp. growing in tangled clumps with Amathia verticillata and adults have occasionally been found on the bryozoan Bowerbankia maxima . [8]

Minimum recorded depth is 1 m. [5] Maximum recorded depth is 5 m. [5]

Okenia zoobotryon lays egg masses on the surface of its host. These are flat, gelatinous ribbons attached by one edge to the underlying surface. The eggs are enclosed in capsules and hatch after about five days, developing into veliger larvae that soon begin to feed on microalgae and are planktonic. They settle in about eight days, being attracted to Amathia verticillata by chemical cues, and undergo metamorphosis into juveniles within twenty-four hours of settlement. [8]

Okenia zoobotryon seems to be a stenophagous feeder, one that selectively feeds on one organism but is able to feed on others if the main prey species is unavailable. In fact, during feeding trials, adults did not actively select Amathia verticillata over other possible prey species. Amathia verticillata contains certain secondary metabolites which make it distasteful to most predators. Okenia zoobotryon feeding on it were found to contain many of the same chemicals and it is likely that these have similar anti-predatory functions in the sea slug. [8]

Related Research Articles

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

Okenia rosacea, commonly known as Hopkin's rose nudibranch, is a species of sea slug, specifically a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.

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

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

Amathia verticillata, commonly known as the spaghetti bryozoan, is a species of colonial bryozoans with a bush-like structure. It is found in shallow temperate and warm waters in the western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and has spread worldwide as a fouling organism. It is regarded as an invasive species in some countries.

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

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

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

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

Okenia angelensis common name Los Angeles Okenia, is a species of sea slug, specifically a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Okenia kondoi is a species of sea slug, specifically a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae. It is the type species of the genus Sakishimaia.

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

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

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

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

References

  1. ↑ Smallwood, W.M., 1910. Notes on the Hydroids and Nudibranchs of Bermuda. Proc. Zool. Soc. London. 1: 137-145
  2. ↑ Caballer, M.; Gofas, S. (2015). Okenia zoobotryon (Smallwood, 1910). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-10-21
  3. 1 2 Rudman, W. B. (2004-12-21). "Okenia zoobotryon (Smallwood, 1910)". Sea Slug Forum. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
  4. ↑ Pola, M., 2015. The Identity of Okenia zoobotryon (Smallwood, 1910) (Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae): Redescription and Proposed Designation of a Neotype. American Malacological Bulletin 33(1):72-77.
  5. 1 2 3 Welch J. J. (2010). "The “Island Rule” and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008776.
  6. ↑ Ianello, L., 2013. Okenia zoobotryon. Photographs at: JaxShells.org
  7. ↑ Valdés, Ángel; Hamann, Jeff; Behrens, David W.; DuPont, Anne. Caribbean Sea Slugs, Sea Challengers Natural History Books, Etc., Gig Harbor, Washington 2006, pp. 116-117. ISBN   0-9700574-2-3 page 126.
  8. 1 2 3 Robinson, N. M. (2001). "Interactions between the nudibranch Okenia zoobotryon and its bryozoan prey Zoobotryon verticillatum" (PDF). Thesis, Master of Sciences. University of Central Florida. Retrieved 2014-01-13.
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