The brush nudibranch, Tritonia sp. 2, as designated by Gosliner, 1987, is a species of dendronotid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tritoniidae. As at November 2009, it remained undescribed by science.
| brush nudibranch | |
|---|---|
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| Brush nudibranch with egg ribbons | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura |
| Superfamily: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Binomial name | |
| Tritonia sp.2 | |
Distribution
editThis species has only been found off South Africa, from the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula to Jeffreys Bay, intertidally to 40 m.[1] It appears to be endemic.
Description
edit
The brush nudibranch reaches 50 mm in size. Its body is apricot-coloured with clusters of white spots on its notum. Its short rhinophores extend from cup-like sheaths. It has short paired branching projections down the length of its body. Short branching tentacles extend from the front of its head.[2]
Ecology
editThe brush nudibranch probably feeds on soft corals. Its egg mass is opaque, white and highly convoluted.
References
edit- ^ GOSLINER, T.M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8
- ^ ZSILAVECZ, G. 2007. Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. ISBN 0-620-38054-3