Mandeliidae

Mandela's nudibranch

Mandela's nudibranch

Species of gastropod


Mandela's nudibranch, Mandelia mirocornata, is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc, the only member of the genus Mandelia and the family Mandeliidae. The genus and family name honor Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa.[1]

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Distribution

This species has so far only been found around the southern African coast from the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula[2] to Port Elizabeth in 10–400 m of water. It is probably endemic.[3]

Description

The unusual oblong rhinophores of Mandela's nudibranch

Mandela's nudibranch has a bumpy dirty white to brown skin. It has black spots scattered over the notum. Its gills and rhinophores are large and creamy-coloured. The rhinophores are perfoliate, but are oblong rather than round. The animal may also have irregular brown stripes rather than spots on the notum, radiating out to the margins. It may reach a total length of 70 mm.[4]

Ecology

This species feeds on sponges.

See also


References

  1. Valdés À. & Gosliner T. M. (1999). "Phylogeny of the radula-less dorids (Mollusca, Nudibranchia), with the description of a new genus and a new family". Zoologica Scripta 28: 315-360. doi:10.1046/j.1463-6409.1999.00014.x.
  2. GOSLINER, T.M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8
  3. ZSILAVECZ, G. 2007. Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. ISBN 0-620-38054-3
  • Mandelia mirocornata at nudipixel

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