''Janolus longidentatus'', the medallion silvertip nudibranch, is a spectacular-looking
species of
nudibranch, or
sea slug. It is a
marine
Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean.
Marine or marines may refer to:
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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 Proctonotidae.
Apart from striking differences in the egg ribbons, individuals of this species are externally not distinguishable from the
Cape silvertip nudibranch
''Antiopella capensis'', originally described as ''Janolus capensis'', the Cape silvertip nudibranch, is a beautiful species of nudibranch, or sea slug. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Proctonotidae.
Apart from striking diffe ...
.
Distribution
This species is
endemic to the
South African __NOTOC__
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coast and is found on both sides of the Cape Peninsula, from the intertidal border to at least 30 m.
Description
The medallion silvertip nudibranch grows up to 40mm in total length. It is a pale-bodied nudibranch with dark- to tan-coloured cerata with white tips. Its
rhinophores are white and rolled. They are separated from one another by an opaque white spherical mass of unknown function called the rhinophoral crest.
Ecology
This species of nudibranch feeds on a
bryozoan, the spiral moss animal, ''
Menipea triseriata''. The egg mass is a flat spiral of capsules with 5-7 eggs per capsule.
[ZSILAVECZ, G. 2007. ''Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay''. ] The egg ribbon of the Cape silvertip nudibranch is globular, convoluted and has numerous eggs per capsule.
References
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6805099
Proctonotidae
Gastropods described in 1981