Tergipes tergipes is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tergipedidae.[2]

Tergipes tergipes
The nudibranch Tergipes tergipes, Gulen Dive Centre, Norway.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Cladobranchia
Superfamily: Fionoidea
Family: Tergipedidae
Genus: Tergipes
Species:
T. tergipes
Binomial name
Tergipes tergipes
Synonyms
  • Limax tergipes Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775

Distribution

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This species was described from Øresund, Denmark. It has been reported from the NE Atlantic from Iceland and Norway south to Portugal and in the Mediterranean Sea.[3] Reports of the same species from Brazil should be treated with caution.[4]

Description

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The typical adult size of this species is 5–8 mm.[5] A recent study showed that Tergipes tergipes is an amphi-atlantic species.[6]

Habitat

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Minimum recorded depth is 4 m.[7] Maximum recorded depth is 10 m.[7]

Tergipes tergipes feeds on hydroids of the genus Obelia, especially Obelia geniculata. It is very similar in size and spawn shape to Eubranchus exiguus which often occurs on the same blades of kelp.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Niebuhr C. (ed.) (1775). Descriptiones animalium avium, amphibiorum, piscium, insectorum, vermium quae in itinere orientali observavit Petrus Forskål, prof. Haun., post mortem auctoris edidit Carsten Niebuhr. Hauniae [Copenhagen], Möller, pp. 1-19 + i-xxxiv + 1-164, 1 map. page(s): 99-100
  2. ^ Gofas, S. (2014). Tergipes tergipes (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2020-12-20
  3. ^ a b Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C., 2010. Tergipes tergipes (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.
  4. ^ Rudman, W.B., 2000 (December 31). Tergipes tergipes (Forsskal, 1775). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  5. ^ Thompson, T.E. and Brown, G.H., 1984. Biology of Opisthobranch Molluscs, Volume II. The Ray Society. 229 pages 41 plates, 40 figures
  6. ^ Cámara, S., Carmona, L., Cella, K., Ekimova, I., Martynov, A., & Cervera, J. L., (2014). Tergipes tergipes (Förskal, 1775) (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) is an amphiatlantic species. Journal of Molluscan Studies (2014) 80: 642–646. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyu015
  7. ^ a b Welch J. J. (2010). "The “Island Rule” and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008776.