Okenia leachii is a species of sea slug, a Dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.

Okenia leachii
Illustration accompanying the original description in A monograph of the British nudibranchiate Mollusca
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Superfamily: Onchidoridoidea
Family: Goniodorididae
Genus: Okenia
Species:
O. leachii
Binomial name
Okenia leachii

Distribution

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This species was first described from Whitburn, North Sea with additional specimens from the Hebrides and Torbay.[2]

Description

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This goniodorid nudibranch is translucent white in colour, with brilliant white pigment on the pallial tentacles, rhinophores and gills.

Ecology

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Okenia leachii probably feeds on tunicates such as Molgula occulta, family Molgulidae which live buried in muddy sand seabeds.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Alder J. & Hancock A. (1854). Notice of some new species of British Nudibranchiata. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. ser. 2, 14: 102-105.
  2. ^ a b Alder, J., & A. Hancock. 1855. A monograph of the British nudibranchiate Mollusca: with figures of all the species. Pt. 7, pp. 1-54, fam. 1, pls. 21a, 27; fam. 2, pls. 1, 2; fam. 3, pls. 38a, 45-48. Appendix, pp. i-xl. Ray Society London.
  3. ^ Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2016). Okenia leachii (Alder & Hancock, 1855). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland. Accessed on 2016-08-02.