Trapania squama

Trapania squama is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.

Trapania squama
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea
clade Doridacea
Superfamily:
Onchidoridoidea
Family:
Goniodorididae
Genus:
Trapania
Species:
T. squama
Binomial name
Trapania squama
Gosliner & Fahey, 2008[1]

Distribution

This species was described from Madang, Papua New Guinea. It has also been reported from the Marshall Islands.[2]

Description

The body of this goniodorid nudibranch has a pattern of white patches with thin lines of dark brown between them, giving a scaled appearance. The network of brown lines forms small square or diamond shapes where the lines intersect. The gills and rhinophores are transparent with white surface pigment and the lateral papillae are white. The oral tentacles are white or mottled white and brown in the holotype.[2]

Ecology

The animals from the Marshall Islands apparently feed on a species of bryozoan.[3]

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References
  1. Gosliner, T.M. & Fahey, S.H. (2008) Systematics of Trapania (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae) with descriptions of 16 new species Systematics and Biodiversity, 6 (1): 53-98
  2. Rudman, W.B., 2008 (March 10) Trapania squama Gosliner & Fahey, 2008. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  3. Kwajalein Underwater
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