Rostanga bassia

Rostanga bassia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Family: Discodorididae
Genus: Rostanga
Species:
R. bassia
Binomial name
Rostanga bassia
Rudman & Avern, 1989[1]

Rostanga bassia is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Discodorididae.

Distribution

This species was described from Flinders, Westernport Bay, Victoria, Australia.[2]

Description

This dorid nudibranch is bright orange to reddish-orange in colour, and the dorsum is covered with caryophyllidia. This species is very similar to other species of Rostanga.[1]

Ecology

This nudibranch is found on a colony of the red sponge, Clathria cactiformis (family Microcionidae) on which it presumably feeds.[1] Most other species of Rostanga also feed on sponges of the family Microcionidae.

References

  1. ^ a b c Rudman, W.B. & Avern, G.J. (1989) The genus Rostanga Bergh, 1879 (Nudibranchia:Dorididae) in the Indo-West Pacific. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 96: 281-338.
  2. ^ Rudman, W.B., 2002 (February 4) Rostanga bassia Rudman & Avern, 1989. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.