Trapania hispalensis explained

Trapania hispalensis is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Goniodorididae.^[1]

Distribution

This species was first described from the Straits of Gibraltar. It is found from Ceuta, North Africa to Faro, Portugal.

Description

This goniodorid nudibranch is translucent white in colour, with yellow markings. The rhinophores, gills and processes are covered with yellow pigment and there is a patch of yellow on the tail. It is very similar in colour to Trapania tartanella except that it has yellow markings with no tendency to become orange at the tips of the papillae, gills and rhinophores.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Gofas, S. (2015). Trapania hispalensis. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-10-19
2. L. Sánchez-Tocino and J. L. Cervera. 2006. Primeros datos sobre la dieta de Trapania maculata Haefelfinger, 1960 y T. hispalensis Cervera y García-Gómez, 1989 (Mollusca: Nudibranchia). Zoologia Baetica, 17: 85-89.
3. Rudman, W.B., 2005 (September 8) Trapania hispalensis Cervera & Garcia-Gomez, 1989. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.

   Ecology

   Trapania hispalensis feeds on Entoprocta of the genus Loxosomella which often grow on the sponges Dysidea and Sarcotragus.^[2]

   References