Ardeadoris angustolutea

Ardeadoris angustolutea is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.^[2] It was transferred to the genus Ardeadoris on the basis of DNA evidence.^[3]

Ardeadoris angustolutea
Ardeadoris angustolutea in Guam, head end towards the left
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Nudibranchia
Family:	Chromodorididae
Genus:	Ardeadoris
Species:	A. angustolutea
Binomial name
Ardeadoris angustolutea (Rudman, 1990)[1]
Synonyms[2]
Noumea angustolutea Rudman, 1990 (basionym)

Distribution

This species was described from Ruby Reef, 15.733°S 145.783°E / -15.733; 145.783 Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. It occurs in the tropical Indo-West Pacific regions, with confirmed sightings from the Philippines, Thailand, Guam, Hawaii and the Marshall Islands.^[4]

Description

The mantle in this species is an almost translucent white in colour. The mantle border ranges in colour from opaque white to orange-yellow. The midline of the body has a more opaque line that runs from the rhinophores to the posterior branchia (gills). The rhinophores and branchia have an orange-brown tint.^[5][6][7]

Ecology

The exact food source for this sea slug is not yet known but the type specimen was found on a purple sponge species which is probably its food.^[4]