Verconia protea

Verconia protea is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.[1][2]

Verconia protea
Two Verconia protea (top left, bottom right) on a sponge near Gordon's Bay, South Africa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea
clade Doridacea
Superfamily:
Doridoidea
Family:
Chromodorididae
Genus:
Verconia
Species:
V. protea
Binomial name
Verconia protea
Gosliner, 1994
Synonyms

Noumea protea Gosliner, 1994

Distribution

Known only from Oudekraal and Vulcan Rock on the Cape Peninsula west coast and Pinnacle dive site near Gordon's Bay on the east side of False Bay. South African endemic.[3]

Description

A small (15mm) dorid with a smooth salmon pink body and white dotted margin.[3]

Ecology

Often found on an encrusting sponge of almost identical colour at depths of 8 to 10m.[3]

References
  1. Bieler, R. (2015). Verconia protea (Gosliner, 1994). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=866660 on 2016-01-13
  2. Debelius, H. & Kuiter, R.H. (2007) Nudibranchs of the world. ConchBooks, Frankfurt, 360 pp. ISBN 978-3-939767-06-0 page(s): 204 Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=562472 on 2012-02-25
  3. Zsilavecz, G. 2007. Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. SURG, Cape Town. ISBN 0-620-38054-3


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