Rostanga rubra, is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Discodorididae.
| Rostanga rubra | |
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| Rostanga rubra depicted in Alder and Hancock A monograph of the British nudibranchiate Mollusca as Doris coccinea Forbes, 1848 | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
| Order: | Nudibranchia |
| Suborder: | Doridina |
| Superfamily: | Doridoidea |
| Family: | Discodorididae |
| Genus: | Rostanga |
| Species: | R. rubra
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| Binomial name | |
| Rostanga rubra | |
| Synonyms | |
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Distribution edit
This species was described from Nice, France. It has been reported from Norway to Spain on the Atlantic Ocean coasts of Europe and from the Canary Islands and Madeira.
Description edit
Rostanga rubra is a bright orange to reddish-orange in colour and the dorsum is covered with caryophyllidia; in general it is very similar to other species of Rostanga.[2]
Ecology edit
This nudibranch is reported to feed on the red sponges, Ophlitaspongia seriata, Clathria atrasanguinea and Ophlitaspongia kildensis (family Microcionidae).[3]
References edit
- ^ Risso, A., 1818. Mémoire Sur quelques Gastéropodes nouveaux, Nudibranches et Tectibranches observés dans la Mer de Nice. Journal de Physique, de Chimie, d'Histoire Naturelle et des Arts 87:368-377.
- ^ Rudman, W.B., 2002 (February 17) Rostanga rubra (Risso, 1818). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
- ^ Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C., 2010. Rostanga rubra (Risso, 1818).[In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.