Pelagella felis
Fine-gilled pump dorid
Philippines · Indo Pacific - South China Sea
- Size
- 8–10 mm · max 20 mm
- Depth
- 0–17 m
- Native range
- Western Pacific: Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
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Description
A small goniodorid nudibranch, long known as Goniodoris felis and recently moved to Pelagella (Paz-Sedano et al. 2023). The name means 'of the cat', after its Japanese common name. Juveniles can occur in clusters on their food.
Share link: https://seaslugs.org.il/species/pelagella-felis-phillipines-indo-pacific-south-china-sea/
Identification
Opaque greyish-white head and back with dark brown shading on the back, mantle edge and sides; the front edge of the mantle is chocolate brown. Body sides translucent. Two blunt dorsal processes, one between the rhinophores and one in front of the gills. Rhinophores and the three gills are dark brown. Colour varies from dark to pale yellowish.
Habitat & diet
Habitat
Rocky and reef habitats, intertidal to about 17 m.
Food
Colonial ascidians, on which it also lays its eggs.