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 long, and they live on rock or coral reefs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific Ocean.
Description
Nembrotha cristata is a large black nembrothine ("nembrothid" in much of the literature) growing to at least 50 mm long. 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 metres. 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]
References
- ^ Bergh, L.S.R. (1877). Malacologische Untersuchungen, 2. In C. Semper, Reisen im Archipel der Philippinen 2 (11): 429–494, pls. 54-57.
- ^ Bouchet, P. (2015). Nembrotha cristata Bergh, 1877. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-09-06
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c Rudman, W.B., 1999 (January 21) Nembrotha cristata Bergh, 1877. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
External links
- Photos of Nembrotha cristata on Sealife Collection
- Photographs at Sea Slugs of the Mediterranean Sea and Elsewhere
- Video - Taken in Bali, Indonesia
