| Philinopsis speciosa | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
| Order: | Cephalaspidea |
| Family: | Aglajidae |
| Genus: | Philinopsis |
| Species: | P. speciosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Philinopsis speciosa | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Philinopsis speciosa, the blue-lined philinopsis, [2] is a species of sea slug, a shell-less opisthobranch gastropod mollusc in the family Aglajidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region.
Philinopsis speciosa is a large mollusc, growing to a length of about 125 mm (5 in). It has a well-developed, broad headshield, with a squared front and tapering rear, terminating in an upright tube; the headshield is used for gliding over and burrowing beneath the surface of the sand. Behind the headshield is a body shield which bears two, rounded lobes at the back. On either side of the body are lateral outgrowths known as parapodia. The colour of this sea slug is very variable; it is usually brown, dark brown or black, with white, cream, yellow or orange spots, and a thin blue line or streaks around the margin. There is sometimes an additional white or yellow line at the margin, and a pair of longitudinal orangish bands may be present near the midline of the headshield. [2]
Philinopsis speciosa has a widespread distribution in the tropical Indo-Pacific region, its range extending from the east coast of Africa and the Red Sea to Japan, Hawaii and New Caledonia. It is found on the lower shore and the subtidal zone, on sandy and clay bottoms and among seaweed, at depths down to about 20 m (66 ft). [2]
Like other members of the Aglajidae, Philinopsis speciosa is a predator. Its prey consists mostly of other gastropod molluscs. It has no radula, but has a partially eversible pharynx which can suck up and engulf its prey, swallowing it whole. After digestion of the soft tissues, any shell or indigestible material is regurgitated. [2]
Philinopsis speciosa is a hermaphrodite; two or more individuals form a circle or a short chain. The penis is on the right, level with the head, and the female genital opening is on the right side further back. The first individual acts as a female and receives sperm from the second, which acts as both male and female, giving sperm to the first, and receiving sperm from the third. The last slug in the line acts only as a male. The white eggs are wrapped in a thin layer of mucus and this strand is wound around the slug's head in a tangled cylinder. The slug then removes its head from the cylinder and sticks the end of the filament to the substrate. [2]
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.
The clade Cephalaspidea, also known as the headshield slugs and bubble snails, is a major taxon of sea slugs and bubble snails, marine gastropod mollusks within the larger clade Euopisthobranchia. Bubble shells is another common name for these families of marine gastropods, some of which have thin bubble-like shells. This clade contains more than 600 species.
Haminoeoidea is a taxonomic superfamily of small sea snails or bubble shells, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the clade Cephalaspidea, the headshield slugs and bubble snails.
The mantle is a significant part of the anatomy of molluscs: it is the dorsal body wall which covers the visceral mass and usually protrudes in the form of flaps well beyond the visceral mass itself.
Oxynoe olivacea is a species of small green bubble snail or sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Oxynoidae.
Chelidonura varians is a species of small sea slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusc in the order Cephalaspidea, the headshield slugs.
Chelidonura hirundinina is a species of small and colorful aglajid sea slug, a shell-less opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Aglajidae.
Goniobranchus coi is a species of very colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.
Goniobranchus geminus, also known as the gem sea slug, is a species of very colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.
Mariaglaja inornata, also called the inornate headshield slug, is a species of sea slug or headshield slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusc in the family Aglajidae.
Chelidonura punctata is a species of sea slug, or "headshield slug", a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Aglajidae.
Chelidonura amoena is a species of sea slug, or "headshield slug", a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Aglajidae.
Gastropteridae, the bat-winged slugs, is a family of sea slugs, gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Philinoidea of the clade Cephalaspidea, the headshield slugs and bubble snails. The greatest diversity of these colourful small slugs is in the tropical and sub-tropical Indo-Pacific region.
Haminoea is a genus of medium-sized sea snails or bubble snails, marine opisthobranch gastropod molluscs in the family Haminoeidae, the haminoea bubble snails, part of the clade Cephalaspidea, the headshield slugs and bubble snails.
Oxynoe delicatula is a species of small sea snail or sea slug, a bubble snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Oxynoidae.
Melanochlamys is a genus of headshield slugs in the family Aglajidae. Despite the appearance of its species, this genus must not be confused with nudibranchs.
Chelidonura electra is a species of sea slug, a "headshield slug", a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Aglajidae. The species name comes from the daughter of Agamemnon, Electra, and the Greek goddess of the same name, meaning "shining", with reference to the brilliance of this slug.
Kaloplocamus peludo is a species of sea slug, a nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae.
Biuve fulvipunctata, the white-speckled headshield slug, is a species of sea slug or headshield slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusc in the family Aglajidae. This species is widespread in the Indian and Pacific Oceans but has invaded the Mediterranean Sea since 1961, despite apparently being absent from the Red Sea until recorded there in the 21st century. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Biuve.
Tubulophilinopsis gardineri, the Gardiner’s philinopsis, or Gardiner's headshield slug is a species of sea slug, a shell-less opisthobranch gastropod mollusc in the family Aglajidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region.