Ceratosoma tenue

Ceratosoma tenue is a species of colourful dorid nudibranch, a sea slug, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.[2]

Ceratosoma tenue
Ceratosoma tenue
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Ceratosoma
Species:
C. tenue
Binomial name
Ceratosoma tenue
Synonyms
  • Ceratosoma bicorne Bergh, 1905
  • Ceratosoma francoisi Rochebrune, 1894
  • Ceratosoma jousseaumi Rochebrune, 1894
  • Ceratosoma ornatum Bergh, 1890
  • Ceratosoma rhopalicum Rochebrune, 1894

Distribution

This sea slug is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific area, from the oriental African coast to Hawaii.[3]

Description

Ceratosoma tenue can grow to a maximal size of 12 cm length. The body colouration is extremely variable but is always composed of bright colors. However, the body colouration is not a valuable criterion of determination for this species because it can easily be confused with Ceratosoma tribolatum. The physical distinctive criteria are three mantle lobes on the first half of the body on each side and the purple margin of the mantle and foot is a dotted line. Another specificity of many species of Ceratosoma is the kind of "horn" covering the gills, which is like a lure and acts as a defensive chemical weapon that will scare any potential predator who dares to bite this part.[3] The gills and the rhinophores are retractile in internal sheaths.[4]

Behavior
Ceratosoma tenue serving as commensal host to an Emperor Shrimp (Periclimenes imperator)

Ceratosoma tenue is active all time and has a diurnal activity.[3]

Feeding

Ceratosoma tenue feeds on sponges of the genus Dysidea.[4]

References
  1. Abraham P.S. (1876) Notes on some genera of nudibranchiate Mollusca, with notices of a new genus and some hitherto undescribed species, in the collection of the British Museum. Annals & Magazine of Natural History (4)18: 132-146, pls. 6-7, page(s): 141-142, Plate VII, Figures 5, 5 a-b
  2. MolluscaBase (2018). Ceratosoma tenue Abraham, 1876. Accessed on 2019-01-30.
  3. Bidgrain, P., 2019. Ceratosoma tenue Sea Slugs of the Indian Ocean, accessed 2019-01-30.
  4. Rudman, W.B., 1999 (September 29) Ceratosoma tenue Abraham, 1876. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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