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Cephalopyge
Species of gastropod From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Cephalopyge is a genus of pelagic nudibranchs comprising the single species Cephalopyge trematoides, a free-swimming marine gastropod in the family Phylliroidae.[1]
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Etymology
Cephalopyge is a contraction of cephalus (Greek: κεφαλή kephale, "head") and pyge (πūγή, "behind") referring to the position of the anus close to the head. The species epithet trematoides expresses a likeness to flukes.[3]
Description
Cephalopyge trematoides grows to 2.5 cm (0.98 in) in length. It swims at approximately 12 cm/s (4.7 in/s), by passing several undulatory waves down its body each second.[4] It is flattened and transparent; its internal organs are visible.[5]
Pelagic nudibranchs
Of the approximately 3000 species of nudibranch, the vast majority are benthic, only a couple are neustonic, and Cephalopyge trematoides is very unusual in that it is pelagic.[6][7] It is estimated to be one of only five planktonic nudibranch species (another epipelagic example is Phylliroe bucephala).[8]
Further information (including photos):
References
External links
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