Goniobranchus annulatus (Ringed Chromodoris) Description
Goniobranchus annulatus (Eliot, 1904) (synonym: Chromodoris annulata)
Date 2 September 2010, 17:10:24
Source originally posted to Flickr as Chromodoris Annulata http://flickr.com/photos/35034362831@N01/4952347994
Author Joi Ito http://flickr.com/people/35034362831@N01
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ChromodorisAnnulataJI1.jpg
The ringed chromodoris, Goniobranchus annulatus, is a species of sea slug, a very colourful dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. Goniobranchus annulatus is a large smooth pale-bodied nudibranch with many vivid yellow spots, though these may be absent in some individuals. It has one purple ring around the gills and another ring around the rhinophores. The mantle usually has a purple border. It may grow to 10cm in total length. This nudibranch was described from Zanzibar. It occurs in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, from the East Coast of South Africa to Thailand. It is a Lessepsian migrant and has recently invaded the Mediterranean Sea, presumably through the Suez Canal. Superfamily: Doridoidea, Family: Chromodorididae, Genus: Goniobranchus, Species: Goniobranchus annulatus (Eliot, 1904).
Synonyms:
Chromodoris annulata Eliot, 1904 (basionym)
Glossodoris annulata (Eliot, 1904)