Flabellina trilineata

Flabellina trilineata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura clade Nudipleura clade Nudibranchia clade Dexiarchia clade Cladobranchia clade Aeolidida
Superfamily:	Flabellinoidea
Family:	Flabellinidae
Genus:	Flabellina
Species:	F. trilineata
Binomial name
Flabellina trilineata (O'Donoghue, 1921)[1]

Flabellina trilineata is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine heterobranch mollusc in the family Flabellinidae.^[2]

Distribution

This species was described from Nanoose Bay, Regional District of Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Flabellina trilineata is a seasonally abundant aeolid ranging from Baja California, Mexico to Alaska.

Diet

This species feeds on hydroids, especially Tubularia spp. and Eudendrium californicum.

Description

Flabellina trilineata is a flabellinid nudibranch with a translucent body and three longitudinal white lines on the back and sides. The line down the middle of the back passes between the rhinophores where it splits and continues to the tips of the oral tentacles. The rhinophores are perfoliate and coloured white at the base but orange in the outer third. The digestive gland is either red or orange in colour. Maximum length is about 35mm.^[3]

References

1. O'Donoghue, Charles Henry. (1921). Nudibranchiate Mollusca from the Vancouver Island region. Transactions of the Royal Canadian Institute 13(1):147-209, pls. 7-11 [1-5].
2. Bouchet, P. (2015). Flabellina trilineata (O'Donoghue, 1921). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-11-07
3. Rudman, W.B., 2000 (June 22) Flabellina trilineata (O'Donoghue, 1921). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.