Asteronotus cespitosus

Asteronotus cespitosus
Asteronotus cespitosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura clade Nudipleura clade Nudibranchia
Superfamily:	Doridoidea
Family:	Discodorididae
Genus:	Asteronotus
Species:	A. cespitosus
Binomial name
Asteronotus cespitosus van Hasselt, 1824
Synonyms
Actinodoris mauritiana Quoy, H.E.T. & J.P. Gaimard, 1832 Asteronotus bertrana Bergh, L.S.R., 1878 Asteronotus brassica Allan, J.K., 1932 Asteronotus fuscus O'Donoghue, C.H., 1924 Asteronotus hemprichi Ehrenberg, 1831 Asteronotus mabilla Bergh, L.S.R., 1878 Asteronotus madrasensis O'Donoghue, C.H., 1932 Asteronotus wardianus Allan, J.K. 1932 Doris cerebralis Gould, A.A., 1852 Doris crescentica Collingwood, C., 1881 Doris exanthemata Kelaart, E.F., 1858 Doris foetida Pease, W.H., 1860 Doris mabilla "Bergh, L.S.R." Abraham, P.S., 1877 Doris vesiculosa Ehrenberg, C.G. MS Jorunna marchadi Risbec, 1956

Asteronotus cespitosus is a species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Discodorididae.^[1]

Distribution

This marine species occurs in the Red Sea and in the tropical Indo-West Pacific and off Australia.

Description

The body of this nudibranch grows to a length of 250 mm. It is distinctive, with ridges of large tubercles running down centre of body, and a series of tubercles running parallel to the margin. The body is firm leathery. Its colour varies from blackish-grey to brown, with paler tubercles and patches of white. This provides the species with camouflage well suited to its preferred habitat. The egg ribbon, in contrast, is pink. ^[1]

References

1. Richmond, M. (Ed.) (1997). A guide to the seashores of Eastern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean islands. Sida/Department for Research Cooperation, SAREC: Stockholm, Sweden. ISBN 91-630-4594-X. 448 pp. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=215302 on 2012-02-29

• Hasselt, J.C. van 1824. Uittreksel mit einen brief van Dr J.C. Hasselt, aan Prof van Swinderen. Algemene Konst-en Letterbode 1824 2: 20–24
• Allan, J.K. 1932. Australian nudibranchs. The Australian Zoologist 7(2): 87–105
• Wells, F.E. & Bryce, C.W. 1993. Sea Slugs of Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 184 pp.
• Marshall, J.G. & Willan, R.C. 1999. Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. Leiden : Backhuys 257 pp.

External links

• Gastropods.com: Asteronotus cespitosus