Mexichromis lemniscata

Mexichromis lemniscata is a species of colourful sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.[2][3]

Mexichromis lemniscata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Mexichromis
Species:
M. lemniscata
Binomial name
Mexichromis lemniscata
(Quoy & Gaimard, 1832)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Chromodoris clitonota Bergh, 1905
  • Chromodoris luxuriosa Bergh, 1874
  • Chromodoris scurra Bergh, 1874
  • Chromodoris variegata Pease, 1871
  • Doris dorsalis Gould, 1852
  • Doris lemniscata Quoy & Gaimard, 1832 (basionym)
  • Durvilledoris lemniscata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832)
  • Glossodoris clitonota Bergh, 1905
  • Glossodoris lemniscata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832)

Distribution

This nudibranch was described from Port Louis, Mauritius. It is reported from the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean including the Red Sea, Réunion, Thailand, Australia, Fiji, Moorea and the Phoenix Islands.[4][5][6]

Description

Mexichromis lemniscata has a pale pink-red body, with a white and purple-lined mantle. There are three thick lines on its dorsum, coloured yellow-white-yellow respectively. The gills and rhinophores are covered with different coloured rings, from base to tip, white-red-purple-lilac. [4][7][8] This species is easily confused with other similarly coloured nudibranchs and shows considerable variation; it is likely to be an unresolved species complex.[9]

Mexichromis lemniscata can reach a total length of at least 35 mm, and like all Chromodorids, feeds on sponges.[10]

References
  1. Quoy, J.R. & Gaimard, J.P. (1832). Voyage de decouvertes de L'Astrolabe pendant les annees 1826-1827-1828-1829, sous le commandement de M.J. Dumont D'Urville. Zoologie, 2: 1-686, Mexichromis lemniscata p. 268.
  2. MolluscaBase (2018). Mexichromis lemniscata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832). Accessed on 2019-01-22.
  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. Rudman, W.B., 1999 (December 5) Durvilledoris lemniscata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  5. Rudman, W.B. (1984) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: a review of the genera. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 81: 115-273.
  6. Bidgrain, P., 2018. Mexichromis lemniscata Sea Slugs of the Indian Ocean, accessed 2019-01-22.
  7. Rudman W.B. (1990) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: further species of Glossodoris, Thorunna and the Chromodoris aureomarginata colour group. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 100: 263-326 page(s): 287
  8. Debelius, H. & Kuiter, R.H. (2007) Nudibranchs of the world. ConchBooks, Frankfurt, 360 pp. ISBN 978-3-939767-06-0 page(s): 201
  9. Gosliner, T.M., Behrens, D.W. & Valdés, Á. (2008) Indo-Pacific Nudibranchs and seaslugs. A field guide to the world's most diverse fauna. Sea Challengers Natural History Books, Washington, 426 pp. page(s): 256
  10. Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Sep 26). Comment on Durvilledoris lemniscata in aquarium by Andy Angel. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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