Diversidoris crocea explained

Diversidoris crocea is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.^{[1] [2]}

Distribution

This species is found in the tropical western Pacific, including: Indonesia, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Guam, and south to Queensland, Australia.^{[3] [4]}

Description

This nudibranch is usually less than in length. It has a yellow body with a pale mantle margin that has two semi-permanent mantle folds about mid-body. The rhinophores and branchia (gills) are also yellow. However, identifying individual yellow sea slugs within the genus Diversidoris can be challenging because yellow forms which mimic their food, yellow sponges, exist in many related species.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Ecology

This species is often found on the yellow sponge Darwinella, which appears to be its preferred food source.^[8]

Notes and References

1. MolluscaBase (2018). Diversidoris crocea (Rudman, 1986). Accessed on 2019-01-31.
2. Johnson R.F. & Gosliner T.M. (2012) Traditional taxonomic groupings mask evolutionary history: A molecular phylogeny and new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs. PLoS ONE 7(4): e33479
3. Rudman, W.B., 1998 (March 28) Noumea crocea Rudman, 1986. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
4. Gosliner, T.M., Behrens, D.W. & Valdés, Á. (2008) Indo-Pacific Nudibranchs and seaslugs. A field guide to the world's most diverse fauna. Sea Challengers Natural History Books, Washington, 426 pp. page(s): 245
5. Rudman, W.B., 2001 (March 29) Noumea flava Colour Group. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
6. Debelius, H. & Kuiter, R.H. (2007) Nudibranchs of the world. ConchBooks, Frankfurt, 360 pp. page(s): 206
7. Marshall, J.G. & Willan, R.C. 1999. Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. Leiden : Backhuys 257 pp.
8. Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Jun 24). Comment on Noumea crocea from the Philippines by Carlos R. Munda. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.

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