| Soft coral nudibranch | |
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| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura ContentsDendronotida |
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| Binomial name | |
| Tritoniasp.1 | |
The soft coral nudibranch, Tritonia sp. 1, as designated by Gosliner, 1987, is a species of small sea slug, a dendronotid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tritoniidae. As of November 2009, it was undescribed by science.
This species has so far been found only off South Africa, from False Bay to Port Elizabeth, intertidally to 14 m. [1] It appears to be endemic to the area.
The soft coral nudibranch is a very well-camouflaged animal which closely resembles the soft corals on which it feeds. It is small, reaching 30 mm, and its body is white to brown or purple. Its branched rhinophores extend from cup-like sheaths. Paired branching projections down the length of the body mimic the feeding polyps of its prey. Elongated branching tentacles extend from the front of its head. [2]
This nudibranch feeds on soft corals of the genus Alcyonium . It lays an opaque white egg mass which is highly convoluted.
Nudibranchs are 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.
The purple lady nudibranch, Paraflabellina funeka, is a species of aeolid nudibranch, and is a very colourful sea slug. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Flabellinidae.
The frilled nudibranch, Leminda millecra, is a species of metarminid nudibranch, and is only found in South Africa. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Charcotiidae.
The chocolate-chip nudibranch, Aphelodoris sp. 1, is an undescribed species of dorid nudibranch as designated by Gosliner, 1987. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Dorididae. As of November 2009, it was undescribed by academics.
The giraffe spot nudibranch, Ancula sp., as designated by Gosliner, 1987, is a species of colourful sea slug, specifically a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae. As of November 2009, it remained undescribed by science.
The crazed nudibranch, Corambe sp., as designated by Gosliner, 1987, is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the superfamily Onchidoridoidea. It is also known as the moss animal nudibranch because its usual prey is a bryozoan, or moss animal. As at November 2009, it remained undescribed by science.
The knobbly nudibranch, Aegires ninguis, is a species of dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Aegiridae.
The ghost nudibranch, Lecithophorus capensis, is a species of dorid nudibranch, and is only found in South Africa. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae. It is the sole species of the genus Lecithophorus.
Melibe rosea, the cowled nudibranch, is a species of sea slug, a dendronotid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tethydidae.
Notobryon wardi, the iridescent nudibranch, is a species of scyllid nudibranch, and is found in South Africa. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Scyllaeidae.
Duvaucelia odhneri, is a species of dendronotid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tritoniidae.
The brush nudibranch, Tritonia sp. 2, as designated by Gosliner, 1987, is a species of dendronotid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tritoniidae. As at November 2009, it remained undescribed by science.
The white-ridged nudibranch, Dermatobranchus sp. 1, as designated by Gosliner, 1987, is a species of nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Arminidae. As at November 2009, it remained undescribed by science.
Antiopella longidentata, previously named Janolus longidentatus, the medallion silvertip nudibranch, is a species of nudibranch, or sea slug. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Proctonotidae.
The black-dot nudibranch, Caloria sp. 1, as designated by Gosliner, 1987, is a species of sea slug, specifically an aeolid nudibranch. They are marine gastropod molluscs in the family Facelinidae.
Phyllodesmium horridum, the coral nudibranch, is a species of sea slug, specifically an aeolid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Facelinidae.
Cratena capensis, the orange-eyed nudibranch, is a species of sea slug, specifically an aeolid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Facelinidae.
Tritonicula hamnerorum is a species of dendronotid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tritoniidae. A number of Caribbean species of Tritonia were moved to a new genus Tritonicula in 2020 as a result of an integrative taxonomic study of the family Tritoniidae.
The purple soft coral is a species of colonial soft coral in the family Alcyoniidae.
