Nembrotha cristata

Nembrotha cristata is a species of colourful sea slug, a polycerid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae.[2] This species of sea slug is black with green markings; adults are around 50 mm in length, and they live on rock or coral reefs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific Ocean.

Nembrotha cristata
Side view
Top view in Bunaken National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea
clade Doridacea
Superfamily:
Polyceroidea
Family:
Polyceridae
Subfamily:
Nembrothinae
Genus:
Nembrotha
Species:
N. cristata
Binomial name
Nembrotha cristata
Bergh, 1877[1]

Description

Nembrotha cristata is a large black nembrothine ("nembrothid" in much of the literature) that grows to at least 50 mm in length. Its body is covered with raised green nodules. The rhinophores and gills are black, edged in green. Other than the difference in colour, this species is similar in appearance to Nembrotha yonowae.[3]

Distribution

This nudibranch species was described from the Philippines. It occurs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific Ocean.[4] It lives at depths between three and twenty meters. These sea slugs live on coral or rock reefs, and have a lifespan of up to a year.[4]

Behaviour

The bright colours of this nudibranch species are an aposematic warning to predators. These sea slugs eat compound tunicates. Like all opisthobranchs, they are hermaphrodites.[4]

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References
  1. Bergh, L.S.R. (1877). Malacologische Untersuchungen, 2. In C. Semper, Reisen im Archipel der Philippinen 2 (11): 429-494, pls. 54-57.
  2. Bouchet, P. (2015). Nembrotha cristata Bergh, 1877. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-09-06
  3. Pola, M.; Cervera, J. L.; Gosliner, T. M. (2008). "Revision of the Indo-Pacific genus Nembrotha (Nudibranchia: Dorididae: Polyceridae), with a description of two new species". Scientia Marina. 72 (1): 145–183. doi:10.3989/scimar.2008.72n1145.
  4. Rudman, W.B., 1999 (January 21) Nembrotha cristata Bergh, 1877. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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