This species has been observed on Mayotte Island
Order : Nudibranchia
Suborder : Dexiarchia
Superfamily : Tritonioidea
Family : Tritiniidae
Distribution : Indo West Pacific
Maximal size : 120 mm
Abundance :
Species characteristics :
The body is
light green or brown
The dorsum is pustulose
but soft. There tended to be a concentration of white pigment around the edges of some of the rounded pustules
The oral veil was almost semicircular, slightly indented medially, with a series of five or six digitatíons on each side, some of which bifurcated approximately half way along, others at the tips, creating a very irregular structure.
The gills (about 8-10 bushy gills on each side), approximately equal in size, were very well developed.
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Showing species characteristics... |
Photo Philibert Bidgrain
Mayotte, Le Rocher, Petite Terre, less 1 m, 16 April 2014, size : 60 mm |
See more about : Sightening and mating periods
Remarks :
Identification proposed by Hsini Lin "The plumose and similar size gills, the oral veil with dividing digitations remind me somehow of M. rubra. I wonder if it could be a color variant or something relative... Just a thought."
If you considered that for Marionia rubra " The body is deep red to pale pink or orange ad that for some specialist it could be also light green or brown " It could be specimens of Marionia rubra
External morphology :
The rhinophores were set almost on the edges of the head, pointing laterally. The sheath was tubular, high and its edges crenulated
The rhinophore stalk was thick, constricted at the distal end. The club was composed of a digitiform tentacle surrounded by a series of pinnate processes.
The gills (about 8-10 bushy gills on each side) , approximately equal in size, were very well developed. The thick trunk was faintly tuberculate.
Feeds on soft corals
References :
Nudipixel : Marionia rubra
Philippine Sea Slug : Marionia rubra
Publications :
Rüppell, E, & Leuckart, F.S. (1828-1831). Atlas zu der Reise im nördlichen Afrika von Eduard Rüppell. Neue wirbellose Thiere des rothen Meers . 15-47, Pl. 1-12
Yonow, N. (2000). Red sea Opistobranch 4: The orders Cephalapsidea, Anaspidea, Notaspidea and Nudibranchia: Dentronotacea and Aelidacea. Fauna of arabia 18; 87-131
Other photos of Marionia cf rubra :
Philibert Bidgrain
Mayotte, Le Rocher, Petite Terre, less 1 m, 16 April 2014, size : 60 mm
3 of the 5 specimens observed on the same area with differents coloration pattern (green and red-brown) |
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Norbert Verneau
Mayotte, Le rocher, Petite Terre, less 1 m, 10 January 2014, size : 100 mm
Several specimens with mating behavior observed. |
Matthias Deuss
Mayotte, Le Rocher, Petite Terre, less 1 m, 29 January 2012, size : 100 mm
With its probably spawn
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With gills helded |
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With gills retracted |
More photos from Indian Ocean
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