Rostanga arbutus



 


Rostanga arbutus





 




Scientific classification












Kingdom:
Animalia












Phylum:
Mollusca
















Class:
Gastropoda

























(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea
clade Doridacea



Superfamily:
Doridoidea




Family:
Discodorididae














Genus:
Rostanga




















Species:
R. arbutus









 
Binomial name



Rostanga arbutus
(Angas, 1864)[1]




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 











 






Rostanga arbutus is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Discodorididae.



Distribution


This species was described from New South Wales, Australia. It was thought to be widely distributed, but this was due to confusion with other species. [2]



Description


This dorid nudibranch is bright orange to reddish-orange in colour, and the dorsum is covered with caryophyllidia. It is very similar to other species of Rostanga, but it is distinguished by a series of white markings, the mantle glands, which are just inside the mantle edge.[2]



Ecology


This species is found mostly in the intertidal zone on the red sponge, Ophlitaspongia aceratoobtusa (family Microcionidae) on which it presumably feeds.[2] Most other species of Rostanga also feed on sponges of the family Microcionidae.



References




  1. ↑  Angas, G.F. (1864) Description d'espèces nouvelles appartenant à plusieurs genres de Mollusques Nudibranches des environs de Port-Jackson (Nouvelle-Galles du Sud), accompagnée de dessins faits d'après nature. Journal de Conchyliologie, series 3, 12: 43-70.
  2. 1 2 3  Rudman, W.B., Avern, G. (1989) The genus Rostanga (Nudibranchia: Dorididae) in the Indo-West Pacific. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 96(3): 281-338.












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