Felimida binza
Harlequin sea goddess
Israel · Mediterranean
- Size
- 10–20 mm
- Native range
- Atlantic and Mediterranean: Caribbean and north-eastern Brazil, St Helena, the Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands, Iberia and the Mediterranean
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Description
A small, strikingly polymorphic chromodorid. Molecular work (Padula et al. 2016) showed that the Caribbean 'binza' form and the eastern Atlantic–Mediterranean form formerly called Felimida britoi are colour variants of one species, so F. britoi is now a synonym. Defensive glands in the pale mantle band hold diterpenoid compounds probably derived from its sponge prey.
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Identification
Up to about 20 mm. Mediterranean/eastern Atlantic animals are pink to violet-blue with golden-yellow longitudinal bands – a central band that forks around the gill and two often irregular side bands – a yellow mantle edge with a whitish inner band, and sometimes dark purple spots near the margin. Caribbean animals are whitish with an hourglass-shaped yellow area and an irregular red network enclosing pale blue patches. Gills translucent with a purple to bluish rachis.
Similar species
In the Caribbean, Felimida clenchi has well-defined, rounded violet spots ringed with thin red lines rather than an irregular red network. F. neona lacks the yellow hourglass pattern.
Habitat & diet
Habitat
Shaded rocky substrates with sponges, and under stones.
Food
Sponges (feeding observed in the field); prey species not well documented.