Flabellina goddardi

Flabellina goddardi is a sea snail and one of the nudibranchs, the largest suborder of the opisthobranch.

4.1 Discovery and naming
4.2 systematics

Features

So far, more than 50 species have been described from the genus Flabellina, among marine biologists is especially the particularly colorful Flabellina iodinea known. Flabellina goddardi externally resembles most Flabellina pricei ( MacFarland, 1966) and Flabellina pellucida ( Alder & Hancock, 1843). All three species have Cerata that are long processes, which are arranged in several rows on the back and sit on raised pedestals. However, both Flabellina pricei and Flabellina pellucida lateral rows of teeth on the radula, while these are absent in Flabellina goddardi.

The fauna is relatively small. Full grown it reaches a length of about 30 mm. The body is translucent white, with salmon-colored digestive glands within the Cerata. The lateral skin appendages are elongated, slightly tapered and has a circular cross -section with a somewhat thinner base. They are shiny yellow orange with a purple -orange band below their peak. The color pattern of Flabellina goddardi is unique from all other members of the genus Flabellina. A pigmentation on the head, on the body or on the tentacles missing. The Cerata are arranged into different groups. There are four Ceratareihen in the front area, located in front of the heart, with four to nine Cerata per row. Located behind the heart Cerata are divided into seven different rows, each with one to ten Cerata per row.

The front end of the head is slightly notched. Which are on the head rhinophores are smooth. Only two of the 15 related species on the west coast of the North American continent have this feature also on: Flabellina amabilis and Flabellina bertschi. The rhinophores have about 2/3 the length of the oral tentacles. These tentacles are narrow, elongated and tapering to a fine point. You are responsible for the sensory perception of the screw of importance.

The Bukkalapparat is thick and muscular with a pair of brown, leathery jaw. Each of the jaw has a single row of about twelve of triangular denticles, which can be seen under a light microscope. The gonopore is located on the right side of the body, ventral to the third and fourth Ceratareihe. This is surrounded by a large fleshy genital lobes.

Kleptocniden

The type Flabellina goddardi has Kleptocniden on the back. These stinging cells are likely, as with other species of the genus Flabellina, used as a protection against predators. The stinging cells are not formed by the screw itself, but come from the Hydrozoa, of which Flabellina goddardi malnourished. They migrate into the epidermis at the tips of the screw Cerata. The striking orange -colored tips of the salmon-colored Cerata of Flabellina goddardi could be a warning signal to predators.

Reproductive organs

Flabellina goddardi is a hermaphroditic species, which forms both male and female germ cells.

Reproductive organ consists of an elongated, thin channel, propagating in a curved vial. This in turn divides into a short narrow oviduct and the wider vas deferens. At this junction, the large seed bag, seminal receptacle binds, via an elongated tube. Fallopian tube extends into the female glands, which consists of a small albumin gland, a lobed diaphragm gland, and a larger, smooth mucous gland. Flabellina goddardi contains the oviduct and bursa copulatrix. The bursa extends over a wide channel which opens into a small cave. Prostatic part of the vas deferens is wide and consists of a single solid body having the shape of a curved cylinder. Located on the fuselage forward prostate end of the segment, the narrow, short Ejakulationsteil which extends the penis ends. The nipple- shaped elevation of the penis is conically shaped. In addition to the genital bag also has a genital gland is present, which is a split end.

Radula

The radula is rachiglossan having the formula: 30 x 0.1.0. The radula teeth are wide, with a broad central peak, which is longer than the adjacent teeth. On each side of the central peak are 7-8 elongated lateral teeth. Flabellina goddardi has the only Flabellina - type no lateral scale rows of teeth.

Dissemination

Before the Pacific coast of North America is home to a wide variety of nudibranchs, snails, including 15 species of the genus Flabellina. Several species of the genus inhabit sympatric the tide pools off the coast of California. The first living specimen of Flabellina goddardi was found in such a tide pools at Carpinteria Reef off the Carpinteria State Park in Santa Barbara County.

Way of life

Flabellina goddardi feeds mainly on hydroids.

Oviposition was observed in an aquarium. The species produces a long Eischnur which consists of thousands of aligned egg capsules. This Eischnur is designed in the form of a circular latticework reminiscent of a lace cloth on the floor. The marine biologist Dr. Jeffrey Goddard maintains the production of this elaborate network for adaptation to supply all embryos with sufficient oxygen. In the tidal pools, where this snail lives, it can come during the day to a lack of oxygen due to the heating. Currently, however, can not yet be said because of the small number of observations, whether the circular shape of the oviposition heard in nature to the specified behavior of Flabellina goddardi.

From the egg capsules hatch Veligerlarven type 1 with a simple, spiral shell, reminiscent of the housing of a Nautilus and later lost. The development of the larvae takes place as part of the plankton.

Taxonomy

Discovery and designation

The nudibranch species was discovered in 2008 by biologist Dr. Jeffrey Goddard of the University of California, Santa Barbara in a tide pool in front of Carpinteria, California. Dr. Terrence Gosliner described it in 2010 and named after its discoverer, the sea snail Goddard, hence the name Flabellina goddardi.

A preliminary, molecular genetic founded phylogeny, which is based on an examination of the nuclear H3 gene, COI and 16S mitochondrial gene, is fundamental for the root of Flabellina species, as well as for Flabellina goddardi.

System

The Nudibranchia - fauna of the coast of California is particularly diverse. Behrens and Hermosillo (2005 ) recorded 122 species Nudibranchias in California, including two hitherto undescribed species. Gosliner (1996 ) also documented two new species of nudibranchs in deeper waters off the coast of southern California. Recently, two additional species have been collected off the coast of California. The first taxon, a new type of Okenia was found 37-40 m of Carmel, California. The species of the eastern Pacific Okenia have recently been reviewed. It is known that nine species of British Columbia appear to Costa Rica. Millen and Hermosillo ( 2007) reviewed the fifteen species of the genus Flabellina from the eastern Pacific. A new species of the genus Flabellina of the intertidal zone in front of Carpinteria, California, which clearly differs from all other members of the Flabellinidae, has recently been discovered.

Spanish shawl Spermatheca Sympatry Santa Barbara County, California

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