''Felimare pinna'' 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 ...

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 ...

or 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 Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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.” ...

.MolluscaBase (2018)
''Felimare pinna'' (Ortea, 1988).
Accessed on 2018-12-28. Transferred to the genus ''Felimare'' according to the hypothesis that all Atlantic species which were formerly ''Hypselodoris'' belong in that genus.Epstein, H. E.; Hallas, J. M.; Johnson, R. F.; Lopez, A.; Gosliner, T. M. (2018)
Reading between the lines: revealing cryptic species diversity and colour patterns in ''Hypselodoris'' nudibranchs (Mollusca: Heterobranchia: Chromodorididae).
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 2018, XX, 1–74. With 40 figures.

Distribution

This species was described from Baía do Galeão, Maio,

Cape Verde , national_anthem = () , official_languages = Portuguese , national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole , capital = Praia , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , demonym ...

with additional specimens from Boavista.

Description

''Felimare pinna'' is dark blue with a wide longitudinal white band in the middle of the back. The sides of this band have quadrangular expansions in the form of battlements, alternating with areas of very dark blue colour in which there are conspicuous white spots. The middle white band reaches the rhinophores or penetrates between them and surrounds the gill behind. In the larger specimens, the white band tends to fade and loses its uniform opaque white tone due to the appearance of brownish tones disintegrating it. In front of the rhinophores the mantle is dark blue with elongated white specks. The tail is also blue, with a median stripe of orange colour and little white spots that become smaller towards the foot. The edge of the mantle has a thin orange line above and one below, delimiting a dark blue zone between them. The rhinophores are blue with opaque white spots in the lower two thirds and uniformly white in the upper third, whilst the gill leaves have the lower third blue and the rest white. The rachis is also white. In the smallest animal studied (2 mm) there were 5 gill leaves and in the largest (25 mm) 10 leaves. After the gill the mantle narrows. The hyponotum is dark blue with white spots on the upper part and yellowish-white spots near the foot; in larger individuals there is always a greater abundance of yellow spots. At the genital opening there is always a series of large spots and numerous small spots underneath it. In the older and larger specimens, the dark blue of the mantle takes on a brownish hue.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q60792529 Chromodorididae Gastropods described in 1988