Diaulula boreopacifica

Diaulula boreopacifica is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Discodorididae.[2]

Diaulula boreopacifica
Diaulula boreopacifica from Patrick's Point, California
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
Superfamily:
Doridoidea
Family:
Discodorididae
Genus:
Diaulula
Species:
D. boreopacifica
Binomial name
Diaulula boreopacifica
Martynov, Sanamyan & Korshunova, 2015[1]
Synonyms

Doris odonoghuei Steinberg, 1963 sensu Lindsay, Kelly, Chichvarkhin, Craig, Kajihara, Mackie & Valdés, 2016.

Distribution

This dorid nudibranch occurs in the northern Pacific, from Northern California to Alaska, Japan and Russia. It has been confused with Diaulula sandiegensis which has a more southerly range from California south to Baja California, Mexico.[2]

Description

This nudibranch has a background colour which can be white or any shade of yellow to a yellowish brown with characteristic markings consisting of many brown spots of varying sizes. These spots are surrounded by a paler ring and extend into the outer part of the mantle.[3][2] It grows to about 70 mm (3") in length.

Life habits

This species feeds on the sponge Haliclona sp.. It is most common in the intertidal region.[2]

References
  1. Martynov, A.; Sanamyan, N.; Korshunova, T. (2015). [in Russian] Review of the opisthobranch mollusc fauna of Russian Far Eastern seas: Pleurobranchomorpha, Doridida and Nudibranchia. Bulletin of Kamchatka State Technical University. 34: 62-87., page(s): 64, 68
  2. Lindsay, T., Kelly, J., Chichvarkhin, A., Craig, S., Kajihara, H., Mackie, J & Valdés, A. (2016). Changing spots: pseudocryptic speciation in the North Pacific dorid nudibranch Diaulula sandiegensis (Cooper, 1862) (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia). Journal of Molluscan Studies doi:10.1093/mollus/eyw026
  3. Kocian, J., 2006 (Apr 21) Diaulula sandiegensis from Puget Sound. [= D. odonoghuei] [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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