Okenia aspersa

Okenia aspersa is a species of sea slug, a Dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.[2]

Okenia aspersa
Okenia aspersa (Firth of Lorn, Scotland)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Onchidoridoidea
Family: Goniodorididae
Genus: Okenia
Species:
O. aspersa
Binomial name
Okenia aspersa
(Alder & Hancock, 1845)[1]
Synonyms
  • Doris quadricornis Montagu, 1813 (ICZN opinion 1014: suppressed under the plenary powers for the purpose of the Principle of Priority)
  • Idalia aspersa Alder & Hancock, 1845 (original combination)
  • Idalia caudata Orested, 1844
  • Idalia modesta Verrill, 1875
  • Idalia pulchella Alder & Hancock, 1854 (dubious synonym)
  • Idaliella modesta (A. E. Verrill, 1875)
  • Okenia ascidicola M. P. Morse, 1972
  • Okenia leachii var. quadricornis (Montagu, 1815)
  • Okenia modesta (A. E. Verrill, 1875)
  • Okenia pulchella (Alder & Hancock, 1854)
  • Okenia quadricornis (Montagu, 1815) (suppressed under ICZN Opinion 1014)

Distribution

This species was first described from Cullercoats, North Sea. It has subsequently been reported widely in Britain and Ireland and north to Norway and south to Arcachon Bay, France.[3]

Okenia aspersa illustration accompanying the original description in A monograph of the British nudibranchiate Mollusca

Description

This goniodorid nudibranch is translucent white in colour, with spots and blotches of red-brown and cream It shows marbling over the body, on the pallial tentacles, rhinophores and gills.[4]

Ecology

Okenia aspersa feeds on the tunicate Molgula occulta, family Molgulidae which lives buried in muddy sand seabeds.[5]

References
  1. Alder, J., & Hancock, A. (1845). A monograph of the British nudibranchiate Mollusca: with figures of all the species. Pt. 1, fam. 1, pls. 4, 5, 26; fam. 3, pls. 3, 21, 24, 26, 34-36. Ray Society, London.
  2. Okenia aspersa (Alder & Hancock, 1845). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 10 January 2019.
  3. Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels. 50: pp. 180–213.
  4. Thompson, T. E., & G. H. Brown. 1984. Biology of opisthobranch molluscs, vol. 2, 229 pp., 41 pls. Ray Society, no. 156.
  5. Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2015). Okenia aspersa (Alder & Hancock, 1845). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.]
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