Catriona aurantia is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trinchesiidae.[1] It was incorrectly synonymised with Catriona gymnota from the Western Atlantic but shown to be a distinct species by DNA analysis.[2]
| Catriona aurantia | |
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| The nudibranch Catriona aurantia, Gulen Dive Resort, Norway. | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Nudibranchia |
| Suborder: | Cladobranchia |
| Superfamily: | Fionoidea |
| Family: | Trinchesiidae |
| Genus: | Catriona |
| Species: | C. aurantia
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| Binomial name | |
| Catriona aurantia (Alder & Hancock, 1842)
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| Synonyms | |
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Distribution
editThis species was described from Whitley, on the North Sea coast of England.[3]
Description
editThis species has a translucent white body and slightly swollen cerata. The digestive gland is orange pink in colour and the tips of the cerata have a broad white band of tiny epidermal glands. In larger specimens the rhinophores develop a pale orange suffusion. The foot is broad and rounded anteriorly. Large individuals may exceed 20 mm in length.[4]
Habitat
editFeeds on the hydroid Tubularia larynx. Individuals are thought to feed by eating through the stems of the hydroid rather than on the polyps. Usually found in exposed places, in strong tidal streams, and in shallow water, from 0 m to 20 m depth. The spawn consists of lozenge-shaped packets of eggs.[4]
References
edit- ^ Picton, B.; Rosenberg, G. (2017). Catriona aurantia (Alder & Hancock, 1842). Archived 2017-11-07 at the Wayback Machine In: MolluscaBase (2017). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2017-11-02.
- ^ Korshunova, T.; Martynov, A.; Picton, B. (2017). Ontogeny as an important part of integrative taxonomy in tergipedid aeolidaceans (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) with a description of a new genus and species from the Barents Sea. Zootaxa. 4324(1): 1.
- ^ Alder J. & Hancock A. (1842). Descriptions of several new species of nudibranchous mollusca found on the coast of Northumberland. Archived 2017-11-08 at the Wayback Machine Annals and Magazine of Natural History 9: 31-36.
- ^ a b Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2016). Catriona aurantia (Alder & Hancock, 1842). Archived 2016-12-26 at the Wayback Machine [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland. Accessed on 2016-12-25.