Anteaeolidiella saldanhensis

Anteaeolidiella saldanhensis, is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch. It is a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Aeolidiidae.[1]

Anteaeolidiella saldanhensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Dexiarchia
clade Cladobranchia
clade Aeolidida
Superfamily:
Aeolidioidea
Family:
Aeolidiidae
Genus:
Anteaeolidiella
Species:
A. saldanhensis
Binomial name
Anteaeolidiella saldanhensis
(Barnard, 1927)

Distribution

This species is confined to the South African coast from Saldanha Bay to southern KwaZulu Natal. It is found from the intertidal zone to a depth of at least 10 m.[2]

Description

Anteaeolidiella saldanhensis can grow as large as 35 mm in total length. It is a slender-bodied nudibranch with orange markings on its notum. Its rhinophores and oral tentacles are white-tipped. Its cerata are short and fat, and are grey or pink with pale tips.[3][4]

Ecology

This nudibranch feeds on the striped anemone Anthothoe chilensis. Its egg mass is a simple spiral consisting of three complete whorls.

References
  1. Carmona, L.; Bhave, V.; Salunkhe, R.; Pola, M.; Gosliner, T. M.; Cervera, J. L. (2014). "Systematic review of Anteaeolidiella (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Aeolidiidae) based on morphological and molecular data, with a description of three new species". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 171 (1): 108–132. doi:10.1111/zoj.12129.
  2. Gosliner, T.M. (1987). Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8 (as Aeolidiella indica)
  3. ZSILAVECZ, G. 2007. Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. ISBN 0-620-38054-3 (as Aeolidiella indica)
  4. Photo of Anteaeolidiella saldanhensis [on] Flickr
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