Dendronotus rufus

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

Dendronotus rufus
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. rufus
Binomial name
Dendronotus rufus O'Donoghue, 1921[1]

Distribution

This species was described from specimens dredged at 22–38 m depth between Brandon Island and Departure Bay and from Nanoose Bay, British Columbia. It can be found on the Pacific Ocean coast of North America from Auke Bay, Alaska to Seattle, Washington, United States.[3][4]

Biology

This species feeds on hydroids and scyphozoans.[3] It has been suggested that this species defends it eggs from starfish predators.[5]

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). Dendronotus rufus. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-02-08.
3. Behrens, D. W., & Hermosillo, A. (2005) Eastern Pacific nudibranchs, a guide to the opisthobranchs from Alaska to Central America. vi + 137 pp., 314 photos. Sea Challengers, Monterey, California, page 95.
4. Stout C.C., Pola M. & Valdés Á. (2010) Phylogenetic analysis of Dendronotus nudibranchs with emphasis on northeastern Pacific species. Journal of Molluscan Studies 76: 367-375. page(s): 373
5. Rudman, W.B., 2006 (January 31) Dendronotus rufus O'Donoghue, 1921. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.