Goniobranchus geometricus

Goniobranchus geometricus is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.[2][3]

Goniobranchus geometricus

Goniobranchus geometricus
Goniobranchus geometricus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Goniobranchus
Species:
G. geometricus
Binomial name
Goniobranchus geometricus
( Risbec, 1928)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Chromodoris geometrica Risbec, 1928 (basionym)

Distribution

This species was described from New Caledonia. It is found throughout the Indian Ocean as well as the Western Pacific Ocean from the intertidal down to 30 m (98 ft).[4][5]

Description

Goniobranchus geometricus is a small nudibranch which may grow to a total length of 35mm. It is variably coloured, with the ground colour ranging from a creamy brown to purple, The mantle has numerous cream-coloured bumps and has a white margin. The gills and rhinophores are white to greenish.[5] It is very similar to Goniobranchus conchyliatus but has green-grey rhinophores and gills whilst G. conchyliatus has red ones.[4][6][7]

Ecology

This animal feeds on the sponge Chelonaplysilla violacea.[8]

References
  1. Risbec, J. (1928). Contribution à l'étude des Nudibranches néo-calédoniens. Faune des Colonies Françaises. 2(1):1-328, figs. 1-98, pls. 1-12, maps.
  2. Bouchet, P. (2012). Goniobranchus geometricus. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2012-05-03
  3. Johnson R.F. & Gosliner T.M. (2012) Traditional taxonomic groupings mask evolutionary history: A molecular phylogeny and new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs. PLoS ONE 7(4): e33479
  4. Rudman, W.B., 1999 (January 15) Chromodoris geometrica Risbec, 1928. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  5. King, D. & Fraser, V. 2001. More Reef Fishes and Nudibranchs Struik, Cape Town. ISBN 1-86872-686-X
  6. Debelius, H. & Kuiter, R.H. (2007) Nudibranchs of the world. ConchBooks, Frankfurt, 360 pp. ISBN 978-3-939767-06-0 page(s): 164
  7. Gosliner, T.M., Behrens, D.W. & Valdés, Á. (2008) Indo-Pacific Nudibranchs and seaslugs. A field guide to the world's most diverse fauna. Sea Challengers Natural History Books, Washington, 426 pp. page(s): 220
  8. Rudman, W. B. & Bergquist, P. R. (2007) A review of feeding specificity in the sponge-feeding Chromodorididae (Nudibranchia: Mollusca). Molluscan Research, 27(2): 60-88


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