Lion's Mane Nudibranch ( Intertidal Nudibranchs of the Monterey Bay Area, California)

Lion's Mane Nudibranch

Melibe leonina (Gould, 1852)

Description ²

Ground color, including cerata, oral hood, and rhinophores is translucent yellowish-brown, occasionally with a slight blue-green tinge. Body irregularly dotted with numerous small, bluish-white dots. Liver branches usually light green to brown. Oral hood elliptical and arched dorsally, margin with numerous cirri. Cerata readily dehiscent; laterally flattened, broadly ovate to round in outline, the slightly truncate tips bear 2-6 small acute points. Rhinophores with 5-6 lamellae, shaft with a thin, triangular sail-like expansion on inner face.

Size ²

Typically about 50-100mm in length, but individuals up to 300mm have been reported.

Geographic Range ²

Kodiak Is., AK, to Bahia de los Angeles, Baja California, Mexico.

Notes ²

Usually found on kelp, occasionally on kelp which has drifted in to docks in bays. The large oral hood is used to capture small crustaceans, especially copepods which dwell on the blades of Macrocystis. This species can swim by flexing the body laterally, back and forth.

References ²

AJESKA, R. A., & J. W. NYBAKKEN. 1976. Contributions to the biology of Melibe leonina (Gould, 1852) (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia). The Veliger 19(1):19-26, 2 plates. PDF

GOSLINER, T. M. 1987a. Review of the nudibranch genus Melibe (Opisthobranchia: Dendronotacea) with descriptions of two new species. The Veliger 29(4):400-414. PDF

GOSLINER, T. M., & V. G. SMITH. 2003. Systematic review and phylogenetic analysis of the nudibranch genus Melibe. (Opisthobranchia: Dendronotacea) with descriptions of three new species. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, series 4, 54(18):302-355. 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

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