Nembrotha kubaryana

Nembrotha kubaryana
Nembrotha kubaryana feeding on tunicates
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura clade Nudipleura clade Nudibranchia clade Euctenidiacea clade Doridacea
Superfamily:	Polyceroidea
Family:	Polyceridae
Subfamily:	Nembrothinae
Genus:	Nembrotha
Species:	N. kubaryana
Binomial name
Nembrotha kubaryana Bergh, 1877
Synonyms[1][2]
Nembrotha nigerrima Bergh, 1877

Nembrotha kubaryana, also known as the variable neon slug, is a species of colorful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Polyceridae. Its synonyms include Nembrotha nigerrima.^[1][2]

Distribution

This species occurs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific.^[3]

Description

This animal can reach a total length of more than 120 mm. It is a large dark-bodied nudibranch which may have green stripes running down the length of the body or have green raised spots. The margin of the foot and head is a vivid red-orange. The rhinophores and gills may be red or green. Nembrotha kubaryana is easily confused with a similar species, Nembrotha cristata although the latter has no red orange border on its foot.

Ecology

The variable neon slug feeds on ascidians and has been observed feeding on the green-ringed ascidian, Sigillina signifera.^[3]

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  Nembrotha kubaryana at Verde Island, the Philippines.

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  Nembrotha kubaryana eating Oxycorynia fascicularis tunicates

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  Nembrotha kubaryana

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  Nembrotha kubaryana in East Timor

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  Nembrotha kubaryana from Bali

Chemical defences

Nembrotha kubaryana uses the toxins in its prey ascidians to defend itself against predators. It stores the ascidian's toxins in its tissues and then releases them in a slimy defensive mucus when alarmed.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Pola M., Cervera J. L. & Gosliner T. M. (2008) "Revision of the Indo-Pacific genus Nembrotha (Nudibranchia: Dorididae: Polyceridae), with description of two new species". Scientia Marina 72(1): 145-183. doi:10.3989/scimar.2008.72n1145
2. ^ ^{a b} Pola M., Cervera J. L. & Gosliner T. M. (2008) "Description of the First Roboastra Species (Nudibranchia, Polyceridae, Nembrothinae) from the Western Atlantic". Bulletin of Marine Science 83(2): 391-399.
3. ^ ^{a b} Seaslugforum.net

Further reading

• Debelius, H. 2001. Asia Pacific Reef Guide ISBN 3-925919-56-2

External links

• Nembrotha kubaryana page at nudipixel