Sargassum Nudibranch
Scyllaea pelagica
Summary 4
Scyllaea pelagica, common name the sargassum nudibranch, is a species of nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Scyllaeidae. This species lives among floating seaweed in the world's oceans, feeding on hydroids.
Description 5
This nudibranch is widespread in the central ocean basins, associated with drifting weed such as Sargassum bacciferum. It is green or brown in colour with scattered white patches. There are two pairs of lateral lobes, which are flattened and bear small branching gills on their upper sides. The large rhinophore sheaths surround lamellate rhinophores and have a flap on their posterior surfaces. The whole body is irregular in outline providing good camouflage amongst floating Sargassum. The animal can swim upwards by flexing its body vigorously, an important ability for a nudibranch which drifts about the oceans.
Distribution 6
Massachusetts to the West Indies
Physical description 7
The nudibranch, S. pelagica, is often called a sea slug. The shell and the mantle cavity have been completely lost, and only secondary gills are present (Mill 1972). They are bilaterally symmetrical and have two pairs of sensory organs (tentacles) near the head, an anterior pair of cephalic tentacles, and a posterior ring of tentacles. These tentacles don't aid in capturing prey, but are sensory organs or aid in respiration. They resemble leaf-like lobes, a form of cryptology in their environment. S. pelagica is orange-brown and yellow in color, and is about 3 to 4 inches (7-10 cm) in length (Fatheringham and Brunemeister 1989).
Reproduction 8
S. pelagica is hermaphroditic, but cross-fertilizes through reciprocal copulation. Fertilization is internal. Characteristic of nudibranchs, the larva of S. pelagica pass through a planktonic trochophore-like stage (Kaestner 1967).
Link to Access Genomic Data 9
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=797262&lvl=0
Sources and Credits
- (c) Bernadette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Bernadette
- (c) David Remsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/dremsen/14933084707/
- (c) Bernard Picton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/mollusca/scypel.jpg
- Adapted by Emily Rose Sharkey from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scyllaea_pelagica
- Adapted by Emily Rose Sharkey from a work by (c) National Museums Northern Ireland and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/5971025
- Adapted by Emily Rose Sharkey from a work by (c) WoRMS for SMEBD, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/28469908
- Adapted by Emily Rose Sharkey from a work by (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/18672550
- Adapted by Emily Rose Sharkey from a work by (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/18672551
- (c) Emily Rose Sharkey, all rights reserved
