Hypselodoris variobranchia

Hypselodoris variobranchia is a species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.[2]

Hypselodoris variobranchia
Lembeh, Indonesia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Hypselodoris
Species:
H. variobranchia
Binomial name
Hypselodoris variobranchia
Gosliner & Johnson, 2018[1]

Distribution

The holotype of this nudibranch was collected at 30 m depth from Aphol's Rock, Maricaban Island, Tingloy, Batangas Province, Luzon Island, Philippines, 13.6586°N 120.9013°E / 13.6586; 120.9013. It is a common and widespread species which has been reported from Queensland, Australia; Malaysia;[3] Indonesia and Okinawa, Japan but frequently mistaken for Hypselodoris bullocki or Hypselodoris apolegma.[1]

Description

Hypselodoris variobranchia has a deep purple body with a broad solid white border to the mantle. The bulb of the rhinophores is orange, with purple sheaths. The gills may be orange or deep purple. There is a tall gill pocket which is also deep purple in colour. This species has frequently been reported as Hypselodoris bullocki.[1][4] This is a large nudibranch, reaching 50 mm in length.[1]

References
  1. Epstein, H. E.; Hallas, J. M.; Johnson, R. F.; Lopez, A.; Gosliner, T. M. (2018). Reading between the lines: revealing cryptic species diversity and colour patterns in Hypselodoris nudibranchs (Mollusca: Heterobranchia: Chromodorididae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 2018, XX, 1–74. With 40 figures.
  2. MolluscaBase (2018). Hypselodoris variobranchia Gosliner & Johnson, 2018. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2018-10-22.
  3. Lau. A, 2006 (Dec 11) Re: Hypselodoris bullocki? from Malaysia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  4. Rudman W. B., 1999.Hypselodoris bullocki (Collingwood, 1881) - Page 1, Fig E. In: Sea slug forum. Sydney: Australian Museum.
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