Hypselodoris emma
Encyclopedia
Hypselodoris emma is a species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of 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...

 or dorid 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...

, a 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 mollusk in the family
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...

 Chromodorididae
Chromodorididae
Chromodorididae are a taxonomic family of medium-sized to large, colorful, sea slugs; dorid nudibranchs in the superfamily Doridoidea. These are marine gastropod mollusks....

.

Distribution

This nudibranch is found throughout the tropical Indo Pacific Ocean
Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...

.

Description

Hypselodoris emma has a pale-yellow body and a purplish-blue mantle edge and foot. There are typically three purple lines running longitudinally down the length of the dorsum. The gills and rhinophores are reddish brown.

This species is outwardly very similar in appearance to Hypselodoris maridadilus
Hypselodoris maridadilus
Hypselodoris maridadilus is a species of colourful sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae...

and Hypselodoris whitei
Hypselodoris whitei
Hypselodoris whitei is a colourful species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.-Distribution:This nudibranch is found in the Tropical Western Pacific from Australia to Hawaii.-Description:...

.

Hypselodoris emma can reach a total length of at least 40 mm and has been observed feeding on sponges from the genus Dysidia.

External links

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