The scribbled nudibranch, Doriopsilla miniata, 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 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

Doridacea

Doridacea is a taxonomic grouping of dorid nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks. included in the clade Euctenidiacea of the clade Nudibranchia.- Taxonomy :*Superfamily Doridoidea**Family Dorididae**Family Actinocyclidae...

 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...

. It is 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...

 Dendrodorididae

Dendrodorididae

Dendrodorididae is a taxonomic family of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the Superfamily Phyllidioidea.- Genera :...

.

Distribution

This species is known from the Mediterranean, and the Indo-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...

. Around the southern African coast it is found from the Atlantic side of the Cape Peninsula

Cape Peninsula

The Cape Peninsula is a generally rocky peninsula that juts out for 75 km into the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western extremity of the African continent. At the southern end of the peninsula are Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope...

 to Sodwana Bay

Sodwana Bay

Sodwana Bay is located on the east coast of South Africa, between St. Lucia and Lake Sibhayi.Sodwana Bay National Park is a narrow strip of forested sand dunes located along the KwaZulu Natal coast...

 from the intertidal to at least 30 m.

Description

The scribbled nudibranch is a smooth-bodied yellow-brown nudibranch, with opaque white lines on its notum

Notum

The notum is the dorsal portion of an insect's thoracic segment. It is typically a single large sclerite. It can be further divided into the alinotum which bears the wings and the postnotum which bears the phragma....

. It may reach a total length of 50 mm.

Ecology

This species feeds on sponges. It lacks a tooth-bearing tongue (radula

Radula

The radula is an anatomical structure that is used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared rather inaccurately to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food enters the esophagus...

) and instead digests prey sponges using digestive enzymes produced by its oral gland. The externally digested sponge cells are then pumped into the mouth. It is mimicked by a marine snail, Trivia millardi

Trivia millardi

Triviella millardi is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Triviidae, the trivias.-Distribution:This snail is known around the South African coast from Port Nolloth to the Cape Peninsula in 10-30 m...

.