Mexichromis lemniscata

Mexichromis lemniscata is a species of colourful sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.^[2][3]

Mexichromis lemniscata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Nudibranchia
Family:	Chromodorididae
Genus:	Mexichromis
Species:	M. lemniscata
Binomial name
Mexichromis lemniscata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832)[1]
Synonyms[2]
Chromodoris clitonota Bergh, 1905 Chromodoris luxuriosa Bergh, 1874 Chromodoris scurra Bergh, 1874 Chromodoris variegata Pease, 1871 Doris dorsalis Gould, 1852 Doris lemniscata Quoy & Gaimard, 1832 (basionym) Durvilledoris lemniscata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832) Glossodoris clitonota Bergh, 1905 Glossodoris lemniscata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832)

Distribution

This nudibranch was described from Port Louis, Mauritius. It is reported from the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean including the Red Sea, Réunion, Thailand, Australia, Fiji, Moorea and the Phoenix Islands.^[4][5][6]

Description

Mexichromis lemniscata has a pale pink-red body, with a white and purple-lined mantle. There are three thick lines on its dorsum, coloured yellow-white-yellow respectively. The gills and rhinophores are covered with different coloured rings, from base to tip, white-red-purple-lilac. ^[4][7][8] This species is easily confused with other similarly coloured nudibranchs and shows considerable variation; it is likely to be an unresolved species complex.^[9]

Mexichromis lemniscata can reach a total length of at least 35 mm, and like all Chromodorids, feeds on sponges.^[10]