Thorunna kahuna

Thorunna kahuna is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.[2][3]

Thorunna kahuna
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Thorunna
Species:
T. kahuna
Binomial name
Thorunna kahuna
Johnson R.F. & Gosliner, 2001[1]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Hawaii.

Description

This species is translucent pinkish-white with a magenta submarginal line on the mantle. On the back foot it has two dark purple lines. The rhinophores have translucent pink stalks and orange-red clubs while the gills are orange-red with translucent pink bases. There are prominent, opaque-white mantle glands around the posterior margin of the mantle and, occasionally, in front of the rhinophores which help distinguish it from the very similar Thorunna daniellae.[4] Adult specimens are about 10–16 mm (0.39–0.63 in) long.[5]

Ecology

This species feeds on sponges of the genus Dysidea.[4]

References
  1. Johnson R.F. & Gosliner T.M. (2001) Two new species of Thorunna Bergh 1878 (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Chromodorididae) from the Indo-Pacific. Bollettino Malacologico 37 (5-8): 143-150.
  2. MolluscaBase (2018). Thorunna kahuna R.F. Johnson & Gosliner, 2001. Accessed on 2018-12-23.
  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. Pittman, C. & Fiene, P., 2018. Thorunna kahuna Sea slugs of Hawaii, accessed 2018-12-23.
  5. Rudman, W.B., 2003 (October 1) Thorunna kahuna Johnson & Gosliner, 2001. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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