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This species has been observed on Madagascar Island

Order : Nudibranchia Suborder : Euctenidiacea Superfamily : Polyceroidea Family : Polyceridae Distribution : Tropical Indo-West Pacific Maximal size : 120 mm Abundance : Species characteristics : The background colour is creamy white, but much of this is obscured by a large red brown or dark brown characteristically shaped patch which covers most of the dorsum The rhinophore sheaths range from white to pink or purple and often have a dark brown band at the upper edge. The rhinophore clubs are red or orange-red and the stalk is usually pink or purple. The gills are orange or reddish orange and the gill stalks are white often with some pink or purple colouration
	Showing species characteristics...	Photo Nathalie Bazard Madagascar, Nosy bé

Remarks :

Identification confirmed by Nathalie Yonow
    Synonymous : (according Worms)
               - Kentiella rutilans, Pruvot-Fol, 1932
               - Nembrotha rutilans, Pruvot-Fol, 1931

Bibliographic data :

In some animals the red brown or dark brown patch is broken into a few broad irregular longitudinal patches, and in few instances a number of red brown or dark brown lines.
    N. purpureolinata have similarity with
            - N. aurea but the main colour difference between the two species is that N. aurea has two dorsal orange patches, one in front of the gills and one behind

References :

Bill Rudman Seaslug site : Sea Slug Forum : Nembrotha purpureolineata
    Medslug Nembrotha purpureolineata

Publications :

O'Donoghue, C. H. (1924) Report on Opisthobranchiata from the Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia, with description of a new parasitic copepod. Journal of the Linnean Society, London 35: 521-579, Pls.27-30
    Pola, M., Cervera, J.L. and Gosliner, T.M. 2008. Revision of the Indo-Pacific genus Nembrotha (Nudibranchia: Dorididae: Polyceridae), with description of two new species. Scientia Marina 72(1): 145-183

Other photos of Nembrotha purpureolineata :

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