The soft coral nudibranch, Tritonia sp. 1, as designated by Gosliner, 1987, 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 small 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 dendronotid 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...

 Tritoniidae

Tritoniidae

Tritoniidae are a taxonomic family of dendronotid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs.-Genera:Genera in the family Tritoniidae include:* Marionia Vayssiere, 1877* Trochuina Odhner, 1963* Tritonia Cuvier, 1798* Tritonidoxa Bergh, 1907...

. As at November 2009, it remained undescribed by science.

Distribution

This species has so far been found only off South Africa, from False Bay

False Bay

False Bay is a body of water defined by Cape Hangklip and the Cape Peninsula in the extreme South-West of South Africa.- Description and location :...

 to Port Elizabeth, intertidally to 14 m.. It appears to be endemic

Description

The soft coral nudibranch is a very well-camouflaged animal which closely resembles the soft corals on which it feeds. It is small, reaching 30 mm, and its body is white to brown or purple. Its branched rhinophores extend from cup-like sheaths. Paired branching projections down the length of the body mimic the feeding polyps of its prey. Elongated branching tentacles extend from the front of its head.

Ecology

This nudibranch feeds on soft corals of the genus Alcyonium. It lays an opaque white egg mass, which is highly convoluted.