Description ²

Ground color varies from clear, light orange to darker orange, yellow brown, or yellow. In large individuals the dorsum bears numerous round to oval, pale blue to almost white spots, sometimes with more numerous small, dark brown dots. Pallial ridge bears 4-6 yellow to orange or vermilion, prolonged processes which bear small branches or tubercles, and may be white tipped; frontal veil bears 7-12 similar processes. Rhinophores bear 15-20 lamellae, colored as body or slightly darker. Branchial plumes 5-7, tripinnate, white to orange. Labial tentacles auriform.

Size ²

Typically 20-30mm in length, but may exceed 180mm.

Geographic Range ²

Bamfield, Vancouver Is., British Columbia, Canada, to Punta Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico.

Notes ²

Preys on several species of erect bryozoans such as: Bugula mollis, Caulibugula ciliata, Cauloramphus spiniferum, Crisia occidentalis, Membranipora membranacea, Scrupocellaria californica, & Tricellaria sp. Formerly, the large, lighter colored individuals, which were usually found on kelp, were thought to be a separate species: Triopha grandis.

References ²

FERREIRA, A. J. 1977. A review of the genus Triopha (Mollusca: Nudibranchia). The Veliger 19(4):387-402, 3 plates. PDF

MACFARLAND, F. M. 1966. Studies of opisthobranchiate mollusks of the Pacific coast of North America. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences 6:1-546, pls. 1-72. PDF

McDONALD, G. R. 1983. A review of the nudibranchs of the California coast. Malacologia 24(1-2):114-276. PDF

NYBAKKEN, J. W., & J. EASTMAN. 1977. Food preference, food availability and resource partitioning in Triopha maculata and Triopha carpenteri (Opisthobranchia: Nudibranchia). The Veliger 19(3):279-289. PDF

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF MARINE INVERTEBRATE TAXONOMISTS. 2018. A taxonomic listing of benthic macro- and megainvertebrates from infaunal & epibenthic monitoring and research programs in the southern California bight, edition 12, 1 July 2018, xviii + 167 pp. PDF

Synonyms ²

Triopha aurantiaca Cockerell, 1908, Triopha grandis MacFarland, 1905, Triopha occidentalis (Fewkes, 1889) .

Additional Info ²

WoRMS

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Gary McDonald, all rights reserved, uploaded by Gary McDonald
2. (c) Gary McDonald, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• CalPhotos
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SeaLifeBase
• World Register of Marine Species

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