Kingdom Animalia Class Gastropoda Family Fionidae Rank Species | Phylum Mollusca Superfamily Fionoidea Genus Tenellia | |
Tenellia poritophages is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Fionidae.
Contents
Taxonomic history
This species was described by W.B. Rudman as Cuthona poritophages in 1979. A DNA phylogenetics study of the former family Tergipedidae resulted in the transfer of this species to a much enlarged Tenellia with Tenellia poritophages grouping closely with other members of the former genus Phestilla, which are also predators on Porites corals.
Distribution
This species was described from Africana Beach, 1km south of Kunduchi Beach, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Ecology
This species is a predator on the hard coral Porites, an unusual diet for members of this family, which otherwise eat hydroids.
References
Tenellia poritophages Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA