Biology:Dendronotus albus
| Dendronotus albus | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura clade Nudipleura clade Nudibranchia clade Dexiarchia clade Cladobranchia clade Dendronotida |
| Superfamily: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | D. albus
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| Binomial name | |
| Dendronotus albus (MacFarland, 1966)[1]
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| Synonyms[3] | |
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Dendronotus diversicolor Robilliard, 1970[2] | |
Dendronotus albus is a species of sea slug, a dendronotid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Dendronotidae.[4]
Distribution
This species was described from shallow water at Point Pinos, Monterey Bay, California , United States. It has been reported from the west coast of North America from Alaska to Baja California, Mexico.[5]
Taxonomic history
Robilliard[2] correctly recognised that there were two species of Dendronotus in the NE Pacific and described Dendronotus diversicolor as a new species. D. albus and D. diversicolor were synonymised by Stout et al., 2010, probably because the specimens they studied did not include both species.[3] In fact Robilliard consistently used the name D. albus for Dendronotus robilliardi and redescribed the true D. albus as D. diversicolor.[5]
Description
This species grows to a maximum length of 73 mm.[2] It is distinguished from Dendronotus robilliardi by having only four pairs of large cerata (and two extra, small cerata in big animals). D . robilliardi is a smaller animal but has 5-7 pairs.[2] The body and cerata are translucent white with opaque white and orange-yellow tips to the cerata, although in some cases the orange-yellow is absent.[6]
Diet
This species feeds preferentially on the hydroids Abietinaria greenei, Hydrallmania distans and Abietinaria amphora.[2] Dendronotus robilliardi is said to prefer Thuiaria argentea in the family Sertulariidae.[2]
References
- ↑ MacFarland F.M. (1966) Studies of opisthobranchiate mollusks of the pacific coast of North America. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences VI: 1-546. page(s): 147.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Robilliard, G.A. (1970) The systematics and some aspects of the ecology of the genus Dendronotus (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia). The Veliger, 12(4): 433–479.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Stout C.C., Pola M. & Valdés Á. (2010) Phylogenetic analysis of Dendronotus nudibranchs with emphasis on northeastern Pacific species. Journal of Molluscan Studies 76: 367-375. page(s): 373
- ↑ Bouchet, P. (2015). Dendronotus albus. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-01-26.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Korshunova T., Sanamyan N., Zimina O., Fletcher K. & Martynov A. (2016). Two new species and a remarkable record of the genus Dendronotus from the North Pacific and Arctic oceans (Nudibranchia). ZooKeys. 630: 19-42, page(s): 28, figs 2, 3B
- ↑ Rudman, W.B., 2005 (October 3) Dendronotus diversicolor Robilliard, 1970. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
Wikidata ☰ Q3176704 entry
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