White-edged nudibranch
Fjordia capensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Cladobranchia
Superfamily: Fionoidea
Family: Coryphellidae
Genus: Coryphella
Species:
C. capensis
Binomial name
Coryphella capensis
(Thiele, 1925)[1][2]
Synonyms[3]
  • Fjordia capensis (Thiele, 1925)
  • Flabellina capensis (Thiele, 1925)

The white-edged nudibranch, Coryphella capensis, previously known as Fjordia capensis, is a species of sea slug, specifically an aeolid nudibranch, a colourful sea slug. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Coryphellidae.[3][4]

Distribution

This species is endemic to the South African coast and is found only from the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth[5] in 10–30 m of water.[6]

Description

The white-edged nudibranch is a slender pale-bodied aeolid with numerous dark red cerata all edged with white. It is usually smaller than 40mm. It has rugose pale rhinophores. It has a pair of elongated oral tentacles having an opaque white stripe.[7]

Ecology

This aeolid feeds on hydroids of the genus Eudendrium.[5] In common with other aeolid nudibranchs, the cerata of white-edged nudibranch aid in respiration but also contain extensions of the digestive system. The white-edged nudibranch eats the hydroid and passes its nematocysts unharmed through its digestive system to the tips of its cerata. Here the nematocysts mature and are then used by the nudibranch for its own defence. It is probable that the bright colours of the white-edged nudibranch serve to advertise to predators that it is toxic.

The white-edged nudibranch is hermaphrodite. The egg mass is highly convoluted and creamy white.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flabellina capensis.
  1. ↑ Thiele J. (1925). Gastropoden der Deutschen Tiefsee-Expedition. II Teil. Wissenschaftliche ergebnisse der Deutschen Tiefsee-expedition auf dem Dampfer "Valdivia" 1898-1899, 17(2): 38-382, pls.13-46. [Nudibranchia pp. 284-288, pls. 33-34].
  2. ↑ MolluscaBase (2018). Fjordia capensis (Thiele, 1925). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1047413 on 2018-03-23
  3. 1 2 MolluscaBase eds. (2023). MolluscaBase. Coryphella capensis Thiele, 1925. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1044754 on 2023-10-28
  4. ↑ Picton, B. (2017). Fjordia capensis (Thiele, 1925). In: MolluscaBase (2017). Accessed on 2017-12-20
  5. 1 2 Gosliner, T. M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8
  6. ↑ Zsilavecz, G. 2007. Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. ISBN 0-620-38054-3
  7. ↑ Gosliner, T. M. & Griffiths, R. J. 1981. Description and revision of some South African aeolidacean Nudibranchia (Mollusca, Gastropoda). Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 84(2):105-150.
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