''Bornella'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

sea slug 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 gastropods, i.e. they are sea snails (marine gastropod mollusks) that over evolutionary t ...

s, specifically dendronotid

nudibranch Nudibranchs () are a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have been given colourful nicknames to matc ...

s in the family

Bornellidae ''Bornellidae'' is a family of nudibranch sea slug - marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Tritonioidea. This family is within the clade Cladobranchia (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005). Description ...

. There has not been much research on this genus. Their biology is mostly unknown, except that they seem to feed exclusively on

hydroids Hydroids are a life stage for most animals of the class Hydrozoa, small predators related to jellyfish. Some hydroids such as the freshwater '' Hydra'' are solitary, with the polyp attached directly to the substrate. When these produce buds ...

Distribution

These nudibranchs occur in the

Indo-West Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...

. In addition there is one species in the tropical eastern Pacific, and one species in the western Atlantic.

Description

Their body is covered with cerata-like dorsal and lateral outgrowths, with finger-like branches. They have an attached cluster of

gill A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

s. Their rounded head shows on each side of the mouth a

tentacle In zoology, a tentacle is a flexible, mobile, and elongated organ present in some species of animals, most of them invertebrates. In animal anatomy, tentacles usually occur in one or more pairs. Anatomically, the tentacles of animals work main ...

, with tiny finger-like papillae. The sheath of the

rhinophore A rhinophore is one of a pair of chemosensory club-shaped, rod-shaped or ear-like structures which are the most prominent part of the external head anatomy in sea slugs, marine gastropod opisthobranch mollusks such as the nudibranchs, sea har ...

stands high and resembles the dorsal processes. Feeds on hydroids. The various species differ in their color pattern and their number of dorsal and lateral outgrowths and the number of branches on their rhinophore sheath.

Anatomy

These nudibranchs are characterized by an unpaired oral

gland In animals, a gland is a group of cells in an animal's body that synthesizes substances (such as hormones) for release into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland). Structure De ...

. In their

genital system The reproductive system of an organism, also known as the genital system, is the biological system made up of all the anatomical sex organs, organs involved in sexual reproduction. Many non-living substances such as fluids, hormones, and pherom ...

, the male duct is separate from the female duct.

Species

Species within this genus include:Bouchet, P. (2015)
''Bornella'' Gray, 1850.
In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-02-10. * ''

Bornella anguilla ''Bornella anguilla'' is a species of sea slug, a nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Bornellidae. This species is widely distributed throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific. This species In biology, a s ...

'' Johnson, 1984 * ''

Bornella calcarata ''Bornella'' is a genus of sea slugs, specifically dendronotid nudibranchs in the family Bornellidae. There has not been much research on this genus. Their biology is mostly unknown, except that they seem to feed exclusively on hydroids. Distr ...

'' Mörch, 1863 * ''

Bornella dotoides ''Bornella'' is a genus of sea slugs, specifically dendronotid nudibranchs in the family Bornellidae. There has not been much research on this genus. Their biology is mostly unknown, except that they seem to feed exclusively on hydroids. Distr ...

'' Pola, Rudman & Gosliner, 2009 * ''

Bornella excepta ''Bornella'' is a genus of sea slugs, specifically dendronotid nudibranchs in the family Bornellidae. There has not been much research on this genus. Their biology is mostly unknown, except that they seem to feed exclusively on hydroids. Distr ...

'' Bergh, 1884 * ''

Bornella hermanni ''Bornella'' is a genus of sea slugs, specifically dendronotid nudibranchs in the family Bornellidae. There has not been much research on this genus. Their biology is mostly unknown, except that they seem to feed exclusively on hydroids. Distr ...

'' Angas, 1864 (synonym : ''Bornella. japonica'' Baba, 1949 ) * ''

Bornella irvingi ''Bornella irvingi'' is a species of sea slug, a nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Bornellidae.Bouchet, P. (2015)Bornella irvingi Edmunds & Preece, 1996.In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of ...

'' Edmunds and Preece, 1996 * '' Bornella johnsonorum'' Pola, Rudman & Gosliner, 2009 * '' Bornella pele'' Pola, Rudman & Gosliner, 2009 * ''

Bornella sarape ''Bornella'' is a genus of sea slugs, specifically dendronotid nudibranchs in the family Bornellidae. There has not been much research on this genus. Their biology is mostly unknown, except that they seem to feed exclusively on hydroids. Distr ...

'' Bertsch, 1980. * ''

Bornella simplex ''Bornella'' is a genus of sea slugs, specifically dendronotid nudibranchs in the family Bornellidae. There has not been much research on this genus. Their biology is mostly unknown, except that they seem to feed exclusively on hydroids. Distr ...

'' Eliot, 1904 * ''

Bornella stellifer ''Bornella stellifer'' is a species of colorful sea slug, a nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Bornellidae. References *Pola, M., Rudman, W. B. & Gosliner, T. M. (2009). "Systematics and preliminary phylogeny of Bornellidae ...

'' (Adams and Reeve in Adams, 1848) (synonyms : ''Bornella hancockana'' Kelaart, 1859 , ''Bornella arborescens'' Pease, 1871 , ''Bornella caledonica'' Crosse, 1875 , ''Bornella marmorata'' Collingwood, 1881 ) * '' Bornella valdae'' Pola, Rudman & Gosliner, 2009 Invalid species names include: * ''B. semperi'' Crosse 1875 (nomen nudum)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3642687 Gastropod genera Bornellidae Taxa named by John Edward Gray