Kingdom Animalia Superfamily Doridoidea Genus Diaulula Phylum Mollusca | Class Gastropoda Family Discodorididae Scientific name Diaulula sandiegensis Rank Species | |
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Similar Diaulula, Nudibranch, Peltodoris nobilis, Molluscs, Cadlina luteomarginata | ||
San diego dorid diaulula sandiegensis
Diaulula sandiegensis is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Discodorididae.
Contents
The specific epithet sandiegensis means: "of San Diego", the Southern California city.
Distribution
This dorid nudibranch occurs in the eastern Pacific, from Barkley Sound, British Columbia to Baja California, Mexico. It has been confused with Diaulula boreopacifica which has a more northerly range and also occurs in Japan and Russia.
Description
This nudibranch grows to about 100 mm (4") in length. The background color can be white or any shade of yellow to a yellowish brown, and it has characteristic markings consisting of a few brown rings or irregular spots. Specimens with more numerous spots are Diaulula odonoghuei.
Life habits
This species feeds on sponges.
