Chelidonura punctata

Chelidonura punctata
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Heterobranchia
Order:	Cephalaspidea
Family:	Aglajidae
Genus:	Chelidonura
Species:	C. punctata
Binomial name
	Chelidonura punctata; Eliot, 1903
Synonyms
	Chelidonura hirundinina var. punctata Eliot, 1903 (basionym)

Chelidonura punctata is a species of sea slug, or "headshield slug", a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Aglajidae.^[2]

Distribution

Chelidonura punctata was described from Zanzibar as Chelidonura hirundinina var. punctata.^[3] It is widespread through the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean.^[4]

Description

This species has a maximum size of 30 mm. The background color is dark brown or black and the body is covered with large orange or yellow spots. The margin of the parapods are marked with a thin white line. The two rather long "tails" at the end of the animal are characteristic of the genus Chelidonura, the left one is always longer. Chelidonura always have well-developed sensory cilia on the anterior edge of the head which are used to find the prey.

Ecology

Chelidonura punctata feeds on acoel flatworms.^[5] This headshield slug lives on coral reefs in shallow water.

References

^ Eliot, C.N.E., (1903). Notes on some new or little known members of the family Doridiidae. Proceedings Malacological Society, London 5: 331–337.
^ a b Bouchet, P. (2011). Chelidonura punctata Eliot, 1903. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=559044 on 2012-06-11
^ Yonow, Nathalie (2012). "Opisthobranchs from the western Indian Ocean, with descriptions of two new species and ten new records (Mollusca, Gastropoda)". ZooKeys (197): 1–129. doi:10.3897/zookeys.197.1728. PMC 3376724. PMID 22711992.
^ "The Sea Slug Forum - Chelidonura punctata". 2010-07-15.
^ Mangubhai, S. (2007). "Chelidonura punctata (Eliot, 1903) preys on acoel flatworms recruiting onto Platygyra daedalea (Ellis and Solander, 1786) in Kenya". Coral Reefs. 26 (4): 1057. Bibcode:2007CorRe..26.1057M. doi:10.1007/s00338-007-0299-6. S2CID 45705369.

[1] Eliot, C.N.E., (1903). Notes on some new or little known members of the family Doridiidae. Proceedings Malacological Society, London 5: 331–337.

[WoRMS-2] Bouchet, P. (2011). Chelidonura punctata Eliot, 1903. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=559044 on 2012-06-11

[3] Yonow, Nathalie (2012). "Opisthobranchs from the western Indian Ocean, with descriptions of two new species and ten new records (Mollusca, Gastropoda)". ZooKeys (197): 1–129. doi:10.3897/zookeys.197.1728. PMC 3376724. PMID 22711992.

[4] "The Sea Slug Forum - Chelidonura punctata". 2010-07-15.

[5] Mangubhai, S. (2007). "Chelidonura punctata (Eliot, 1903) preys on acoel flatworms recruiting onto Platygyra daedalea (Ellis and Solander, 1786) in Kenya". Coral Reefs. 26 (4): 1057. Bibcode:2007CorRe..26.1057M. doi:10.1007/s00338-007-0299-6. S2CID 45705369.