Chromodoris strigata
Encyclopedia
Chromodoris strigata, is a species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of colourful sea slug
Slug
Slug is a common name that is normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell...

, a dorid nudibranch
Nudibranch
A nudibranch is a member of what is now a taxonomic clade, and what was previously a suborder, of soft-bodied, marine gastropod mollusks which shed their shell after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms...

, a marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...

 gastropod mollusc in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Chromodorididae
Chromodorididae
Chromodorididae are a taxonomic family of medium-sized to large, colorful, sea slugs; dorid nudibranchs in the superfamily Doridoidea. These are marine gastropod mollusks....

.

Distribution

This species occurs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific
Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...

 Ocean. It has been observed in localities as far apart as Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

 in Africa to the Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...

 in Australia.

Description

Chromodoris strigata is pale blue with black longitudinal lines on its body and upper mantle. It has a bright orange-edged mantle and bright orange gills and rhinophores. This species is easily confused with Chromodoris elisabethina
Chromodoris elisabethina
Chromodoris elisabethina is a species of very colorful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae....

.

Ecology

This species, like many other nudibranchs, feeds on sponges. It has been seen feeding on yellow sponges from the Darwinellidae
Darwinellidae
Darwinellidae is a family of sponges of the order Dendroceratida.-Aplysilla:* Aplysilla arenosa Hentschel, 1929* Aplysilla glacialis * Aplysilla lacunosa Keller, 1889* Aplysilla lendenfeldi Thiele, 1905...

family.

External links

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