Trapania melaina

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

Trapania melaina
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. melaina
Binomial name
Trapania melaina
Gosliner & Fahey, 2008[1]

Distribution

This species was first described from Sodwana Bay, South Africa.[3]

Description

This goniodorid nudibranch is black in colour with a fine speckling of cream spots. The oral tentacles, lateral papillae, tail and rhinophores are tipped with orange and the gills are translucent with small yellow and black spots.[3]

Ecology

Trapania melaina probably feeds on Entoprocta which often grow on sponges and other living substrata.

References
  1. Gosliner, T.M. & Fahey, S.H. (2008) Systematics of Trapania (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae) with descriptions of 16 new species Systematics and Biodiversity, 6 (1): 53-98
  2. Bouchet, P. (2015). Trapania melaina. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-10-20
  3. Rudman, W.B., 2008 (March 10) Trapania melaina Gosliner & Fahey, 2008. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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