Chromodoris africana

Chromodoris africana, or four-coloured nudibranch, is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.[1][2]

Chromodoris africana
Chromodoris africana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Chromodoris
Species:
C. africana
Binomial name
Chromodoris africana
Eliot, 1904

Distribution

This species is known from the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean to the southern KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa. It is found down to 30m.[3][4]

It's also been found in Pacific at Philippines.

Description

This species may grow to 75mm in total length. It is a smooth-bodied nudibranch, with a black ground colour, two white lines running down the notum, which has a white rim, and an orange margin. The gills and rhinophores are yellow to orange.[5]

Ecology

C. africana feeds on sponges.[3] It is known to eat a species of the sponge genus Negombata.[6][7]

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References
  1. Caballer, M. (2015). Chromodoris africana Eliot, 1904. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-12-05
  2. Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (Ed.); Frýda J., Hausdorf B., Ponder W., Valdes A. & Warén A. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia: International Journal of Malacology, 47(1-2). ConchBooks: Hackenheim, Germany. ISBN 3-925919-72-4. ISSN 0076-2997. 397 pp.
  3. King, D. & Fraser, V. 2001. More Reef Fishes and Nudibranchs Struik, Cape Town. ISBN 1-86872-686-X
  4. Rudman, W.B., 1999 (July 19) Chromodoris africana Eliot, 1904. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  5. Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 978-1-77007-772-0
  6. Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Oct 3). Comment on Chromodoris africana feeding by Lindsay Warren. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  7. Rudman, W. B. & Bergquist, P. R. (2007) A review of feeding specificity in the sponge-feeding Chromodorididae (Nudibranchia: Mollusca). Molluscan Research, 27(2): 60-88
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