General Description

Body shape slug-like with gill structures visible as a single cluster on the back of the animal. Pattern includes shades or colours of yellow, orange, red, white and/or purple. Sometimes confused with Dendrodoris aurea, but that species is larger, has parallel sides, is more convex in shape, and is softer to touch. Animal up to 4 cm long.

Biology

This is a very common nudibranch species. There are many other species world-wide of dendrodoridid nudibranchs (family Dendrodorididae), most living in shallow water. They feed external to the body by discharging enzymes onto sponges and the resulting fluids are sucked in through the pharynx. This species often lives on or near sponges on rocky reefs and shores.

Distribution

Southern and eastern Australia.

Habitat

Intertidal and shallow waters, often in association with a thin slimy encrusting sponge under rocks, to depth of 22 m.

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