Hexabranchidae
Encyclopedia
Hexabranchidae is a taxonomic family
of the colorful sea slug
s which are known as nudibranch
s. They are marine
gastropod mollusks.
This family is one of the many families of dorid nudibranchs in the suborder Doridina, named after Doris
, who was a sea nymph in ancient Greek mythology.
The family contains only one genus Hexabranchus, in other words it is a monotypic
family. This family has no subfamilies.
The family Hexabranchidae contains one of the largest known species of nudibranch in the world, Hexabranchus sanguineus, which grows up to or exceeding 40 cm in length.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of the colorful sea slug
Slug
Slug is a common name that is normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell...
s which are known as nudibranch
Nudibranch
A nudibranch is a member of what is now a taxonomic clade, and what was previously a suborder, of soft-bodied, marine gastropod mollusks which shed their shell after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms...
s. They are marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusks.
This family is one of the many families of dorid nudibranchs in the suborder Doridina, named after Doris
Doris (mythology)
Doris , an Oceanid, was a sea nymph in Greek mythology, whose name represented the bounty of the sea. She was the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys and the wife of Nereus. She was also aunt to Atlas, the titan who was made to carry the sky upon his shoulders, whose mother Clymene was a sister of Doris...
, who was a sea nymph in ancient Greek mythology.
The family contains only one genus Hexabranchus, in other words it is a monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
family. This family has no subfamilies.
The family Hexabranchidae contains one of the largest known species of nudibranch in the world, Hexabranchus sanguineus, which grows up to or exceeding 40 cm in length.
Species
There are two species within the genus Hexabranchus:- Hexabranchus morsomusHexabranchus morsomusHexabranchus morsomus is a species of sea slug, a marine mollusc in the family Hexabranchidae. It occurs in the Caribbean Sea including waters around St. Kitts and the Netherlands Antilles.- External links :*...
Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus - Hexabranchus sanguineus (Ruppell & Leuckart, 1828) - synonym: Hexabranchus praetextus Ehrenberg, 1828 - type species