Rostanga byga

Rostanga byga
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Family: Discodorididae
Genus: Rostanga
Species:
R. byga
Binomial name
Rostanga byga

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

Distribution

This species was described from the Caribbean Sea. Its distribution includes also Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil.[2][3]

Description

This doric nudibranch is bright orange to reddish orange in colour, and the dorsum is covered with caryophyllidia; it is very similar to other species of Rostanga. The colour is very uniform, but the rhinophores have white tips.[1][4]

The maximum recorded body length is 20 mm.[5]

Ecology

The prey of Rostanga byga includes the sponge Mycale microsigmatosa.[2] Recorded from depths of 0 m (0 ft) to 65 m (213 ft).[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Marcus, E. (1958) On western Atlantic opisthobranchiate gastropods. American Museum of Natural History, Novitates, 1906: 1-82.
  2. ^ a b Belmonte T., Alvim J., Padula V. & Muricy G. (2015). "Spongivory by nudibranchs on the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil". Spixiana 38(2): 187–195. PDF.
  3. ^ Rudman, W.B., 2006 (October18) Rostanga byga Er. Marcus, 1958. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  4. ^ Photographs of a specimen from Florida
  5. ^ a b Welch J. J. (2010). "The “Island Rule” and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008776.