Tambja morosa

Tambja morosa
Tambja morosa in Mactan, Philippines, head end towards the left
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Heterobranchia

clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea
clade Doridacea

Superfamily: Polyceroidea
Family: Polyceridae
Subfamily: Nembrothinae
Genus: Tambja
Species: T. morosa
Binomial name
Tambja morosa
(Bergh, 1877)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Nembrotha morosa Bergh, 1877
  • Tambja kushimotoensis Baba, 1987

Tambja morosa, also known as Tambja kushimotoensis or Gloomy Nudibranch,[3] is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the subfamily Nembrothinae[4] within the family Polyceridae.[2][5]

This species is instead sometimes placed in the family Gymnodorididae.[6]

Distribution

The distribution of this species is primarily Indo-Pacific. It is found in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Australia, French Polynesia, Fiji and Hawaii.

Description

This large species of Tambja grows to approximately 70–75 mm in length. This species is normally black with blue markings, although dark green specimens are found in the cooler waters of New South Wales and northern New Zealand.[4] The skin of this slug is wrinkled, and it appears nearly black underwater. It has approximately five round, blue spots on its back, a blue band around its head, and a bright blue margin.[7]

Diet

Tambja morosa feeds on arborescent bryozoan colonies.[4]

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ Bergh, L.S.R. (1877). Malacologische Untersuchungen. In: C.G. Semper, Reisen im Archipel der Philippinen, Wissenschaftliche Resultate. Band 2, Heft 11: 429-494, Pls. 54-57.
  2. 1 2 WoRMS : Tambja morosa accessed : 13 October 2010]
  3. ↑ Hoover, John P.,"Hawai'i's Sea Creatures". Mutual Publishing, 1998, p. 176.
  4. 1 2 3 http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=tambmoro
  5. ↑ Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (Ed.); Frýda J., Hausdorf B., Ponder W., Valdes A. & Warén A. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia: International Journal of Malacology, 47(1-2). ConchBooks: Hackenheim, Germany. ISBN 3-925919-72-4. ISSN 0076-2997. 397 pp. http://www.vliz.be/Vmdcdata/imis2/ref.php?refid=78278
  6. ↑ Gary R. McDonald, "Nudibranch Systematic Index" (July 29, 2006). Institute of Marine Sciences. Paper Nudibranch_Systematic_Index. http://repositories.cdlib.org/ims/Nudibranch_Systematic_Index
  7. ↑ http://slugsite.us/bow/nudwk140.htm
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