Trapania dalva

Trapania dalva
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. dalva
Binomial name
Trapania dalva
Marcus, 1972[1]

Trapania dalva is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.[2]

Distribution

This species was first described from Miami, Florida.[1] It has also been reported from the Bahamas.[3]

Description

This goniodorid nudibranch is cream with brown patches, with white bosses on the body.[1] This appearance with raised tubercles is illustrated in one photograph from Florida.[4] Larger animals have extensive brown patches reminiscent of Trapania brunnea and small raised tubercles. These are thought to be the adult form of this species.[5]

Ecology

Trapania dalva probably feeds on Entoprocta which often grow on sponges, sea squirts and other living substrata.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Marcus, E. d. B.-R., 1972. On some Opisthobranchs from Florida. Bulletin of Marine Science, 22(2): 284-308.
  2. Rosenberg, G. (2015). Trapania dalva. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-10-17
  3. Colin Redfern, 2001. Bahamian Seashells: a Thousand Species from Abaco, Bahamas. BahamianSeashells.com, Inc. Boca Raton, Florida. 280 pages, 106 b/w plates, 18 color plates. ISBN 0-9711066-0-6
  4. Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Oct 31). Comment on Trapania dalva - juvenile? by Linda Ianniello. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  5. Rudman, W.B., 2002 (March 4) Trapania dalva Marcus, 1972. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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