Doriopsilla albopunctata

Doriopsilla albopunctata
Doriopsilla albopunctata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura clade Nudipleura clade Nudibranchia clade Euctenidiacea clade Doridacea
Superfamily:	Phyllidioidea
Family:	Dendrodorididae
Genus:	Doriopsilla
Species:	D. albopunctata
Binomial name
Doriopsilla albopunctata (Cooper, 1863)

Doriopsilla albopunctata

Doriopsilla albopunctata is a species of dorid nudibranch, a colorful sea slug, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Dendrodorididae.

There are two other species that are quite similar to this species and can be confused with it, and they are: Doriopsilla gemela Gosliner, Schaefer & Millen, 1999 and Baptodoris mimetica Gosliner, 1991.

Distribution

This species is found from California to Mexico.

Description

This nudibranch can grow as large as 60 mm (2 ¹⁄₂ inches). It can be yellow or orange or brown, but always with very small opaque white dots. The rhinophores on the head end are yellow or orange-yellow in color, and the gills (the rosette at the back) are white or pale yellow.

Life habits

Doriopsilla albopunctata eats sponges.

References

Further reading

• Behrens D. W. (1980) Pacific Coast Nudibranchs: a guide to the opisthobranchs of the northeastern Pacific, Sea Challenger Books, Washington

External links

• Sea Slug Forum species fact sheet: [1]
• Slug Site: [2]