''Felimare fontandraui'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

of colourful dorid

nudibranch Nudibranchs () are a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have been given colourful nicknames to mat ...

, a type of

sea slug Sea slug is a common name for some marine invertebrates with varying levels of resemblance to terrestrial slugs. Most creatures known as sea slugs are gastropods, i.e. they are sea snails (marine gastropod mollusks) that over evolutionary ...

, in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Chromodorididae Chromodorididae, or chromodorids, are a taxonomic family of colourful, sea slugs; dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Doridoidea. “Chromodorid nudibranchs are among the most gorgeously coloured of all animals. ...

Distribution

This nudibranch is known from the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Western

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on th ...

.Rudman, W.B., 2001 (October 5
''Hypselodoris fontandraui'' (Pruvot-Fol, 1951).
nSea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.

Description

''Felimare fontandraui'' typically has a blue to purple body with yellow lines running down its sides and a single yellow-cream line on its upper dorsum. The upper dorsum is also often marked with light blue streaks near the mantle edge. Its mantle is edged in orange and it has black-purple

gills A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

and rhinophores. There is considerable colour variation within this species.Pontes, M., 2018
''Felimare fontandraui''
page at OPK-Opistobranquis. This species can reach a total length of at least 30 mm and has been observed feeding on yellow sponges from the genus '' Dysidea''.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q731911 Chromodorididae Gastropods described in 1951 Taxa named by Alice Pruvot-Fol