Trapania maculata

Trapania maculata
	Two Trapania maculata initiating copulation
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Heterobranchia; clade Euthyneura; clade Nudipleura; clade Nudibranchia; clade Euctenidiacea; clade Doridacea
Superfamily:	Onchidoridoidea
Family:	Goniodorididae
Genus:	Trapania
Species:	T. maculata
Binomial name
	Trapania maculata; Haefelfinger, 1960[1]

Trapania maculata is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.[2]

Distribution

This species was first described from Villefranche-sur-Mer in the Mediterranean Sea. It is found from the Aegean Sea coast of Turkey to the Straits of Gibraltar.[3] It has subsequently been reported from Atlantic coasts as far north as SW England and Wales, United Kingdom.[4]

Description

This goniodorid nudibranch is translucent white in colour, with yellow markings. The rhinophores, gills and processes are covered with yellow pigment and there is a triangular patch of yellow in the middle of the back. There is a broad yellow stripe along the tail, from behind the gills to the tip. In Mediterranean specimens there is more yellow, with patches on the head and sides of the body.[3]

Ecology

Trapania maculata feeds on Entoprocta of the genus Loxosomella which often grow on the sponges Dysidea and Sarcotragus.[5]

References

Haefelfinger, H-R. (1960) Neue und wenig bekannte Opisthobranchier der Gattungen Trapania und Caloria aus der Bucht von Villefranche-sur-mer (A.-M.). Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 67(2): 226-238.
Gofas, S. (2015). Trapania maculata. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-10-20
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (February 10) Trapania maculata Haefelfinger, 1960. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2015). Trapania maculata Haefelfinger, 1960. [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland. Accessed on 2015-10-20
L. Sánchez-Tocino and J. L. Cervera. 2006. Primeros datos sobre la dieta de Trapania maculata Haefelfinger, 1960 y T. hispalensis Cervera y García-Gómez, 1989 (Mollusca: Nudibranchia). Zoologia Baetica, 17: 85-89.

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[1] Haefelfinger, H-R. (1960) Neue und wenig bekannte Opisthobranchier der Gattungen Trapania und Caloria aus der Bucht von Villefranche-sur-mer (A.-M.). Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 67(2): 226-238.

[2] Gofas, S. (2015). Trapania maculata. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-10-20

[ssf-3] Rudman, W.B., 2001 (February 10) Trapania maculata Haefelfinger, 1960. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.

[4] Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2015). Trapania maculata Haefelfinger, 1960. [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland. Accessed on 2015-10-20

[5] L. Sánchez-Tocino and J. L. Cervera. 2006. Primeros datos sobre la dieta de Trapania maculata Haefelfinger, 1960 y T. hispalensis Cervera y García-Gómez, 1989 (Mollusca: Nudibranchia). Zoologia Baetica, 17: 85-89.