Mexichromis lemniscata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832)

Description

Ground colour of the body is translucent purple, with the outer mantle edge bordered in white to cream.
A white longitudinal line runs along the dorsal midline from between the rhinophores to the gills, flanked on either side by shorter yellow lines.
In some individuals the yellow lines are bordered with deeper purple.
The rhinophore stalks match the body colour, while the clubs are red on the lower half and purple distally.
The gills similarly grade from body colour at the base through red to purple at the tips.
Reaches about 23 mm in length.

Distribution

Widely distributed across the tropical Indo-West Pacific and central Pacific. The type locality is the coast of Mauritius.

Etymology

The specific epithet lemniscata derives from Latin lemniscus (ribbon, band), referring to the ribbon-like longitudinal lines along the dorsum.

Remarks

Glossodoris clitonota (Bergh, 1905) is a synonym.
Like other members of the family, it feeds on sponges.

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References

• セスヂウミウシ(新称), 滝巌. (1932). 貝類雜記(4). ヴヰナス. 3(4).
• ドゥルウィレドーリス・レムニスカータ, 小野篤司. (2004). 沖縄のウミウシ. ラトルズ.
• Mexichromis lemniscata, 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.
• Mexichromis lemniscata, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2015). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific. New World Pubns Inc.
• リボンイロウミウシ*(新称), 中野理枝, 朝倉知子, 池田紫, 石川雅教, 今本淳, 岩瀬南美, 西田和記, 堀江諒, 山田久子 & 渡井久美. (2017). 奄美大島北部海域における後鰓類相の調査報告. Kuroshio Biosphere. 13: 1-18 + 6 pls.