''Clione antarctica'' is a species of "sea angel", a
sea slug, a
pelagic 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 ...
mollusk in the family
Clionidae, the "sea angels".
Distribution
The distribution of ''Clione antarctica'' is within the
Southern Hemisphere, in the polar waters of Antarctica.
[ Rudman, W. B. (11 January 2006)]
"''Clione antarctica'' (Smith, 1902)"
Sea Slug Forum. accessed 2 February 2011.
Description
The body length of this species is .
Ecology
''Clione antarctica'' is an important component of polar
ecosystems. It preys upon ''
Limacina antarctica''
It is itself eaten by the
medusa ''
Diplulmaris antarctica''.
''C. antarctica'' has a large lipid storage capacity: up to 5% of its wet mass.
[.PDF]
--> It is able to survive without food for about six months by utilizing these lipid storage reserves.
''Clione antarctica'' lays eggs in the spring.
This species defends itself from predators by synthesizing an ichthyodeterrent (a chemical that deters fishes); this is a previously unknown molecule called
pteroenone.
The sea angel acts as a "guest" for the
hyperiid amphipod
Amphipoda is an order of malacostracan crustaceans with no carapace and generally with laterally compressed bodies. Amphipods range in size from and are mostly detritivores or scavengers. There are more than 9,900 amphipod species so far descr ...
''
Hyperiella dilatata'', which takes advantage of the protection provided by the gastropod's icthyodeterrent.
References
External links
* Bryan P. J., Yoshida W. Y., McClintock J. B. & Baker B. J. (1995). "Ecological role for pteroenone, a novel antifeedant from the conspicuous antarctic pteropod ''Clione antarctica'' (Gymnosomata: Gastropoda)". ''Marine Biology'' 122: 271-277.
* Gilmer R. W. & Lalli C. M. (1990). "Bipolar variation in ''Clione'', a gymnosomatous pteropod". ''Am. Malacol. Union Bull.'' 8(1): 67-75.
*
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3140314
Clionidae
Gastropods described in 1902