Okenia pellucida

Okenia pellucida is a species of sea slug, specifically a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.

Okenia pellucida
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea
clade Doridacea
Superfamily:
Onchidoridoidea
Family:
Goniodorididae
Genus:
Okenia
Species:
O. pellucida
Binomial name
Okenia pellucida
Burn, 1967[1]

Distribution

This species was described from south-eastern Australia. It is known from the United Arab Emirates, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Palmyra Atoll and Japan.[2]

Description

This Okenia has a narrow body and eleven or twelve pairs of short lateral papillae. There are a few papillae on the back, between the rhinophores and the gills. The body is translucent and covered with a reticulate pattern of brown lines. It is similar in shape and arrangement of the papillae to Okenia angelensis, Okenia zoobotryon and Okenia distincta.

Ecology

The diet of this species is a bryozoan, Zoobotryon verticillatum which is a common fouling organism which is transported on ships' hulls.[2]

References
  1. Burn, R. (1967). Descriptions of two new species of Okenia (Nudibranchia, Doridacea) from south-eastern Australia. Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 1965-66: 52-57.
  2. Rudman, W.B., 2004 (December 21) Okenia pellucida Burn, 1967. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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