Dirona albolineata

Dirona albolineata is a species of sea slug, an Eastern Pacific Ocean nudibranch, a marine, opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Dironidae.[1]

Dirona albolineata
Dirona albolineata in Puget Sound
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Infraorder: Cladobranchia
Family: Dironidae
Genus: Dirona
Species:
D. albolineata
Binomial name
Dirona albolineata
MacFarland in Cockerell & Eliot, 1905

Distribution

This species occurs in the Eastern Pacific Ocean from Alaska to San Diego, California. [2]

Description

Dirona albolineata can reach a length of about 180 mm (7 inches). This species, like others in the genus, is translucent with large, broad and quite flat cerata. In these nudibranchs the cerata lack cnidosacs.

The most common D. albolineatais translucent with opalescent white outlining the ncerata and the midline of the tail, but the color varies from white through rose pink, pale orange, lavender to a rufous shade. [2][3]

Biology

These nudibranchs are carnivores that feed on a wide variety of prey, mostly on bryozoans, on small crustaceans, hydroids, ascidians and snails. [2] They can be found all the year around in the shallow subtidal cold waters, at depths of 0 to 28 m. [4]

They are simultaneous hermaphrodites. Consequently both individuals darts their penis to penetrate the body of the other, then one act as a male and the other as the female. [4] Spawning occurs in both the winter and summer. [3]

  • Dirona albolineata
  • D. albolineata at Sund Rock
  • Mating couple

Bibliography
  • Gary R. McDonald, University of California Santa Cruz, Nudibranch Systematic Index, University of California Santa Cruz, in Institute of Marine Sciences
  • Behrens, David W. 1991. Pacific Coast Nudibranchs. Sea Challengers: Monterey, California.
  • Goddard, J.H.R. 1998. A summary of the prey of nudibranch molluscs from Cape Arago, Oregon. Opisthobranch Newsletter, 24: 11-14.
  • Robilliard, G.A. (1971) Predation by the nudibranch Dirona albolineata on three species of prosobranchs. Pacific Science, 25: 429-435.
  • Turgeon, D. D., A. E. Bogan, E. V. Coan, W. K. Emerson, W. G. Lyons, W. Pratt, et al. (1988) Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: mollusks, American Fisheries Society Special Publication 16
  • Turgeon, D. D., J. F. Quinn, Jr., A. E. Bogan, E. V. Coan, F. G. Hochberg, W. G. Lyons, et al. (1998) Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: Mollusks, 2nd ed., American Fisheries Society Special Publication 26

References
  1. WoRMS World Register of Marine Species
  2. Sea Slug Forum
  3. Slugsite
  4. Sealife


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