Kingdom Animalia Superfamily Polyceroidea Subfamily Triophinae Scientific name Limacia cockerelli Rank Species | Class Gastropoda Family Polyceridae Tribe Limaciini Phylum Mollusca | |
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Similar Limacia, Doris odhneri, Acanthodoris hudsoni, Triopha, Triopha maculata | ||
Nudibranch cockerell s dorid limacia cockerelli in tidepools
Limacia cockerelli is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae.
Contents
Nudibranch cockerell s dorid limacia cockerelli in california tidepools
Distribution
This species is found from the West coast of North America ranging from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada to Baja California. It has also been reported in the Gulf of California at Bahía de los Ángeles.
Description
This species reaches lengths of 26 mm. It has long dorsal papillae with white branchial plumes. It is found in two forms. The northern form has white tubercles down the middle of the dorsum. The second form, found in areas south of Point Conception have tubercles that are slightly longer and tipped with orange. Intermediate forms exist in central and northern California. Another form in California has large red blotches on the dorsum. The eggs of the Limacia cockerelli are pink and develop after 17 days, (at 10-13 degrees C), into hatching planktotrophic veligers. It is likely that these forms represent a species complex.
Diet
This animal preys exclusively on the orange-brown coloured bryozoan, Hincksina velata.