This species has been observed on Reunion, Mauritius, Mayotte and Madagascar Islands

Order : Nudibranchia Suborder : Euctenidiacea Superfamily : Doridoidea Family : Chromodorididae Distribution : Tropical Indo-West Pacific Maximal size : 35 mm Abundance : From time to time : on the fore reef zone Species characteristics : This chromodorid has a yellow mantle with numerous pink-tipped tubercles on its dorsum. The rhinophores and gills are white.
	Showing species characteristics...	Photo Florence Trentin Réunion, "Les arches" at saint Leu, 13 April 2005, size : 15-20 mm

See more about : Cadlinella ornatissima variability in Southwest Indian ocean

See more about : Sightening and mating periods

Remarks :

Identification confirmed by Bill Rudman
    Synonymous (according worms) :
          - Cadlina ornatissima, Risbec, 1928

Bibliographic data :

It has a characteristic pattern of single-celled, flask-shaped and compound mantle glands. The large compound glands around the mantle edge can be seen around the mantle edge in some photos.
   It is reported to feed on the sponge Halisarca metabola de Laubenfels, 1954 (Johnson and Boucher 1983).
   This species deposited egg ribbon flats against the substrate similar to those of some species of Chromodoris.

References :

Bill Rudman Seaslug site : Sea Slug Forum : Cadlinella ornatissima

Publications :

Rudman, W.B. (1984) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: a review of the genera. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 81: 115-273.

Other photos of Cadlinella ornatissima :

Florence Trentin Réunion, The same specimen that the upper photo. The large compound glands around the mantle edge can be seen around the mantle edge in this photo.

Sully Bachel Réunion, Cap la Houssaye, Saint Paul, 12 m, 4 April 2009, size : 30 mm.

Emmanuel Eby Réunion, Saint Leu, 8 June 2004, a very small specimen, size : 10-15 mm

Raphaël Roland Gosselin Chira le Poé, N'Gouja, Mayotte, 19 November 2008 Rhinophores and gills are very long in this specimen from Mayotte

See more about : Cadlinella ornatissima variability in Southwest Indian ocean

Reunion, Cadlinella ornatissima, at Saint Leu, by Sandrine Flodrops

Reunion, Cadlinella ornatissima, at Saint Leu, by Sully Bachel 

Madagascar, Cadlinella ornatissima, at Nosy Bé, by Alain-Benoît Rassat

Mayotte, Cadlinella ornatissima, at Petite Terre, by Philibert Bidgrain

Mauritius, Cadlinella ornatissima, at Riviere Noire, by Pierre Périès