''Goniobranchus tasmaniensis'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of colourful
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 ...
, a dorid
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 ...
, a
marine
Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean.
Marine or marines may refer to:
Ocean
* Maritime (disambiguation)
* Marine art
* Marine biology
* Marine debris
* Marine habitats
* Marine life
* Marine pollution
Military
* ...
gastropod
The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...
mollusc
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...
in the family
Chromodorididae
Chromodorididae, or chromodorids, are a taxonomic family of colourful, sea slugs; dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Doridoidea. “Chromodorid nudibranchs are among the most gorgeously coloured of all animals.” ...
.
[Gofas, S. (2015)]
''Goniobranchus tasmaniensis'' (Bergh, 1905).
Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-03-26
Distribution
This species was described from
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
, Australia. It is one of a group of similar red-spotted chromodorids from south-eastern Australia which form a mimicry ring.
Description
''Goniobranchus tasmaniensis'' is a chromodorid nudibranch which has a translucent white mantle with scattered orange or red spots. The edge of the mantle is opaque white and somewhat swollen and ruffled in resting animals.
[Rudman, W.B., 1999 (June 1]
''Chromodoris tasmaniensis'' (Bergh, 1905).
n/nowiki> Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Compare with ''
Goniobranchus splendidus
''Goniobranchus splendidus'' is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.Bouchet, P. (2012)''Goniobranchus splendidus''.Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 201 ...
'', ''
Goniobranchus hunterae
''Goniobranchus hunterae'' is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.Bouchet, P. (2012)''Goniobranchus hunterae''.Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2012-05 ...
'' and ''
Goniobranchus daphne
''Goniobranchus daphne'' is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.Bouchet, P. (2012)''Goniobranchus daphne''.Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2012-05-02
...
'' which all have similar coloration.
[Debelius, H. & Kuiter, R.H. (2007) ''Nudibranchs of the world''. ConchBooks, Frankfurt, 360 pp. page(s): 156]
Ecology
This species feeds on the sponge ''
Darwinella gardineri Darwinella may refer to:
* ''Darwinella'' (sponge), a genus of sponges in the family Darwinellidae
* ''Darwinella'', a genus of beetles in the family Promecheilidae, synonym of '' Pseudodarwinella''
* ''Darwinella'', a fossil genus of ostracods in ...
''.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5113874
Chromodorididae
Gastropods described in 1905