Cliopsis krohnii

Cliopsis krohnii Troschel, 1854.[1] is the only species in Cliopsis, a genus of sea angels belonging to the family Cliopsidae.

Cliopsis krohnii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Clade: Euopisthobranchia
Family: Cliopsidae
Genus: Cliopsis
Troschel, 1854
Species:
C. krohnii
Binomial name
Cliopsis krohnii
Troschel, 1854
Synonyms
  • Clio, Gegenbaur, 1855
  • Clionopsis, Bronn, 1862

The Marine Species Identification Portal [2] recognizes three morphs :

  • Cliopsis krohni Troschel, 1854 morpha grandis Boas, 1886; body length : 40 mm
  • Cliopsis krohni Troschel, 1854 morpha krohni Troschel, 1854; body length : 24 mm
  • Cliopsis krohni Troschel, 1854 morpha modesta (Pelseneer, 1887); body length : 3 mm

Distribution

Cliopsis krohnii is a small free-swimming sea slug, found in all warm and temperate seas where it is pelagic and lives amidst plankton as deep as 1,500 m.

Description

Cliopsis krohnii has a somewhat long, flabby, gelatinous body with a bluish aspect. The head is rather small with the nuchal tentacles much developed. The posterior gill possesses four distinct radiating hexagonal crests lacking foldings or fringes. The foot is reduced to three small median lobes. The anterior lobes of the foot show a posterior right angle. The posterior end of the foot has a folded tubercle that is not divided by longitudinal wrinkle in the middle. The distal extremities of the fins are rounded. It lacks a shell except during its early embryonic stage. The small lateral winglike flaps (parapodia) are used in a slow swimming mode.

This species is a highly specialized predator. It preys on pseudothecosomes, such as Corolla. On making contact with the wide mucous web of its victim, it grabs the victim with a long proboscis (up to twice its own length), chitinous hooks (with the hook sacs containing about 60 hooks) and cutting radular teeth. They can eat victims three times their own size.

References
  1. Troschel, Beiträge zur Kenntniss der Pteropoden, Archiv f. Naturgesch., Jáhrg. xx. p. 222, p1. x. figs. 2-4.
  2. Marine Species Identification Portal : Cliopsis krohnii

Further reading
  • Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 180–213
  • Rolán, E. (2005). Malacological fauna from the Cape Verde Archipelago: 1. Polyplacophora and Gastropoda. ConchBooks: Hackenheim, Germany. ISBN 3-325-31973-2. 455 pp.
  • Willan, R. (2009). Opisthobranchia (Mollusca). In: Gordon, D. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity. Volume One: Kingdom Animalia. 584 pp
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