Thecacera pacifica

Thecacera pacifica is a species of sea slug, a nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. It is sometimes also nicknamed Pikachu nudibranch due to its resemblance to the Pokémon character Pikachu.[2]

Thecacera pacifica
A live individual of Thecacera pacifica in situ, head end towards the left
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia

clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea

clade Doridacea
Superfamily:
Polyceroidea
Family:
Polyceridae
Genus:
Thecacera
Species:
T. pacifica
Binomial name
Thecacera pacifica
Bergh, 1883[1]

Distribution

This species is known from the African coast of the Indian Ocean (Mozambique) to Indonesia and Vanuatu. It has also been reported from the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean.[3]

Description

This polycerid nudibranch is translucent orange in colour with black tips to the rhinophores and gills. The rhinophore sheaths are edged with black with a patch of blue at the widest part. This blue colour is also present at the tip of the tail and at the tip of the lateral papillae beside the gills, separated from the orange of the body by a black band. Some specimens have black linear marks on the body with blue centres.[3]

References
  1. (in German) Bergh R. (1883). "Beiträge zu einer Monographie der Polyceraden". Verhandlungen der Koniglich-kaiserlich Zoologische-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wein (Abhundlungen) 33: 135-180, plates 6-10.
  2. "New Week Nudibranch: Thecacera pacifica". 26 October 2010.
  3. Rudman, W.B., 2002 (April 23) Thecacera pacifica Bergh, 1883. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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