Dendronotus patricki

Dendronotus patricki is a species of sea slug, a dendronotid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Dendronotidae.[2]

Dendronotus patricki
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Dexiarchia
clade Cladobranchia
clade Dendronotida
Superfamily:
Tritonioidea
Family:
Dendronotidae
Genus:
Dendronotus
Species:
D. patricki
Binomial name
Dendronotus patricki
Stout, N. G. Wilson & Valdés, 2011[1]

Distribution

This species was described from a whalefall, a dead whale which was experimentally placed in Monterey Canyon, California at a depth of 1820 m (36°42′30″N 122°06′19″W). It was also seen on video from an ROV at another whalefall in Santa Cruz Basin, 33°29′40″N 119°22′04″W at a depth of 1676 m.[1]

Description

Dendronotus patricki is a translucent species of Dendronotus with no surface markings and a reddish-brown hue to the body. It grows to at least 25 mm in length. There is a small amount of opaque white pigment at the tips of the dorsal appendages, velar appendages and rhinophore sheath papillae.[1]

Habitat

Dendronotus patricki was found crawling on a muddy seabed. Its stomach contents included structures thought to be nematocysts. It is possible that it feeds on burrowing cerianthid anemones as does Dendronotus iris.[1]

References
  1. Stout C.C., Wilson N.G. & Valdés A. (2011) A new species of deep-sea Dendronotus Alder & Hancock (Mollusca : Nudibranchia) from California, with an expanded phylogeny of the genus. Invertebrate Systematics 25(1): 60-69.
  2. Bouchet, P. (2015). Dendronotus patricki. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-02-10.
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