''Cliopsis''
Troschel, 1854 is a genus of sea angels belonging to the family
Cliopsidae. It is
monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...
, being represented by the single species ''Cliopsis krohnii''.
Taxonomy
The Marine Species Identification Portal recognizes three
morphs :
* ''Cliopsis krohni'' morpha ''grandis''
Boas, 1886; body length : 40 mm
* ''Cliopsis krohni'' morpha ''krohni''
Troschel, 1854; body length : 24 mm
* ''Cliopsis krohni'' morpha ''modesta''
(Pelseneer, 1887); body length : 3 mm
Description
''Cliopsis krohnii'' has a somewhat long, flabby, gelatinous body with a bluish aspect. The head is rather small with the nuchal tentacles much developed. The posterior gill possesses four distinct radiating hexagonal crests lacking foldings or fringes. The foot is reduced to three small median lobes. The anterior lobes of the foot show a posterior right angle. The posterior end of the foot has a folded tubercle that is not divided by longitudinal wrinkle in the middle. The distal extremities of the fins are rounded. It lacks a shell except during its early
embryo
An embryo ( ) is the initial stage of development for a multicellular organism. In organisms that reproduce sexually, embryonic development is the part of the life cycle that begins just after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male sp ...
nic stage. The small lateral winglike flaps (
parapodia
In invertebrates, the term parapodium ( Gr. ''para'', beyond or beside + ''podia'', feet; : parapodia) refers to lateral outgrowths or protrusions from the body. Parapodia are predominantly found in annelids, where they are paired, unjointed late ...
) are used in a slow swimming mode.
This species is a highly specialized predator. It preys on
pseudothecosomes, such as ''Corolla''. On making contact with the wide mucous web of its victim, it grabs the victim with a long
proboscis
A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a pr ...
(up to twice its own length),
chitin
Chitin (carbon, C8hydrogen, H13oxygen, O5nitrogen, N)n ( ) is a long-chain polymer of N-Acetylglucosamine, ''N''-acetylglucosamine, an amide derivative of glucose. Chitin is the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature (behind only cell ...
ous hooks (with the hook sacs containing about 60 hooks) and cutting
radula
The radula (; : radulae or radulas) is an anatomical structure used by mollusks for feeding, sometimes compared to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food enters ...
r teeth. They can eat victims three times their own size.
Distribution and habitat
''Cliopsis krohnii'' is a small free-swimming
sea slug
Sea slug is a common name for some Marine biology, marine invertebrates with varying levels of resemblance to terrestrial Slug, slugs. Most creatures known as sea slugs are gastropods, i.e. they are Sea snail, sea snails (marine gastropod moll ...
, found in all warm and temperate seas where it is pelagic and lives amidst
plankton
Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms that drift in Hydrosphere, water (or atmosphere, air) but are unable to actively propel themselves against ocean current, currents (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are ca ...
as deep as 1,500 m.
References
External links
Report of the Scientific results of the Voyage of the H.M.S. Challenger (1873-1876), Zoology, part LVIII (1887) : Report on the Pteropoda by Paul PelseneerWoRMS : Cliopsis krohnii
Further reading
*Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 180–213
*Rolán, E. (2005). Malacological fauna from the Cape Verde Archipelago: 1. Polyplacophora and Gastropoda. ConchBooks: Hackenheim, Germany. . 455 pp.
*Willan, R. (2009). Opisthobranchia (Mollusca). In: Gordon, D. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity. Volume One: Kingdom Animalia. 584 pp
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cliopsis Krohnii
Cliopsidae
Gastropods described in 1854
Taxa named by Franz Hermann Troschel