Goniobranchus setoensis is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.
| Goniobranchus setoensis | |
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| The nudibranch Goniobranchus setoensis | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Nudibranchia |
| Family: | Chromodorididae |
| Genus: | Goniobranchus |
| Species: | G. setoensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Goniobranchus setoensis | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Taxonomic history
editThis species was known as Chromodoris setoensis for many years before it was transferred to the genus Goniobranchus on the basis of molecular (DNA) evidence in 2012.[3]
Distribution
editThis species was described from Japan.[1] It has been confused with Goniobranchus decorus and many records of G. decorus are in fact misidentifications. It occurs in the central Indo-Pacific region from Japan to Sri Lanka, and as far east as the Marshall Islands and Kiribati. The two species are sympatric in the Marshall Islands.[4][5]
Description
editThe body of this chromodorid nudibranch is translucent white with opaque white lines, purple spots and a sub-surface margin of orange-red. There is usually a white line around the centre of the back and a line running from between the rhinophores to the middle of the back where it divides to pass around the gills in a loop. Outside the outer white line is a row or double row of purple spots which never have a halo of white around them. There are small white spots along the mantle edge. The tips of the rhinophores and the outer part of the gills is white.[5]
Ecology
editGoniobranchus setoensis feeds on sponges of the family Aplysillidae.
References
edit- ^ a b Baba, K. 1938. Opisthobranchia of Kii, middle Japan. Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Kyushu Imperial University 6(1):1-19.
- ^ Bouchet, P. (2014). Goniobranchus setoensis (Baba, 1938). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2014-11-27
- ^ Johnson R.F. & Gosliner T.M. (2012) Traditional taxonomic groupings mask evolutionary history: A molecular phylogeny and new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs. PLoS ONE 7(4): e33479.
- ^ Scott Johnson, 2015. Goniobranchus decorus (Pease, 1860). [in] Underwater Kwajalein.
- ^ a b Rudman, W.B., 2007 (September 13) Chromodoris decora (Pease, 1860).[permanent dead link] [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. (Description includes both G. decorus and G. setoensis)