Flabellina verrucosa grazing on the hydroid Garveia. Photo by Ryan Murphy
In this image is Flabellina verrucosa the “Three-lined” aeolid which is seasonally abundant from Baja to Alaska (Behrens, 1991). Aeolids are opisthobranch gastropods known as sea slugs because they have lost their shells. This photo shows the nudibranch’s “oral tentacles” (bottom), ridged sensory antennae called “rhinophores”, “cerata” which contain stolen stinging cells for defense, and a “propodial tentacle”. This aeolid is common year-round at the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve where it is often observed feeding on hydroids such as Tubularia. To the left of it is thesmall Granulina m.
Macro images by Ryan Murphy
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Gastropoda
Order Nudibranchia
Family Flabellinidae
Genus Flabellina
Species verrucosa
Common Name:nudibranch
Other molluscs at Race Rocks
 Return to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File |
 The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.
Garry Fletcher |