Tenellia luciae
Tenellia luciae is a species of sea slugs, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Fionidae.
| Tenellia luciae | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura clade Nudipleura clade Nudibranchia clade Dexiarchia clade Cladobranchia clade Aeolidida |
| Superfamily: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | T. luciae |
| Binomial name | |
| Tenellia luciae Valdés, Medrano & Bhave, 2016[1] | |
Etymology
The specific name luciae is in honour of Lucı́a Valdés, the daughter of malacologist Ángel Valdés.[1] The type specimens are stored in the Museo de Malacologı́a, University of Panama and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.[1]
Distribution
The type locality of this species is Crawl Cay, Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama.[1] The distribution includes the area from Florida to Panama.[1] It may possibly also live in Brazil.[1]
Description
The body length is up to 12 mm. It has yellow cerata. Each ceras has one blue band. The oral tentacles are orange and there is a blue band on the head. The reproductive system contains a penial stylet.[1]
Tenellia caerulea is a similar species. They differ in the radula, jaw and reproductive system.[1] Tenellia herrerai is another similar species. It differs in the radula and in coloration. Tenellia herrerai has no orange oral tentacles and it has no blue band on the head.[1] Tenellia iris is also similar to Tenellia luciae.[1]
Ecology
Cuthona luciae was found on unidentified hydroids. These may be its prey, because hydroids are also the prey of other Cuthona species. It was recorded from a depth of 1 m.[1]
References
- Valdés A., Medrano S. & Bhave V. (2016). "A new species of Cuthona Alder and Hancock, 1855 (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia: Nudibranchia: Tergipedidae) from the Caribbean Sea". The Nautilus 130(2): 72-78.