Coryphella verrucosa
<p><em>Coryphella verrucosa</em> (M Sars, 1829)</p>
Flabellina verrucosa, short cerata form resembling original description and illustration by Sars. Apparently only found in Scandinavia & N. Britain. November 2005. Nesodden, Norway.
Coryphella verrucosa
Greenland and Spitzbergen to Britain and New England. Also Kamchatka to Japan, and western Canada (GBIF map). Fairly frequent sublittorally in Britain and Ireland, and sometimes at LWS, as far south as Wales. Scarcer further south (UK distribution map NBN).
The map provided here shows the distribution of the species based on Conchological Society data.
Sublittorally to 450 metres, and at LWS, where strong currents favour principle prey; Tubularia indivisa (EML). Many other hydroids eaten, especially when juvenile. Simultaneous hermaphrodite. Spawn a thin line arranged as a smooth spiral on flat rock, or looped around hydroids. Breeds April – June in Britain. Veliger larvae drift for about ten days before metamorphosing.
- Coryphella lineata (Lovén, 1846)
- White lines run along dorsum and sides of body, and the full lengths of the rhinophores and oral tentacles.
- Coryphella gracilis (Alder and Hancock, 1844)
- Narrow subterminal opaque white ring on cerata.
- Maximum size 15 mm (ovotestis lobules when 8mm).
- Rhinophores white.
- Coryphella browni Picton, 1980
- Interrupted white medial line from the rear cerata to tip of the tail.
- Broad white ring on cerata distally, but no pigment on apex.
- Rhinophores white.
- Flabellina pellucida (Alder & Hancock, 1843)
- White pigment covers entire distal end of cerata, except tiny extreme tip of apex.
Alder, J. & Hancock, A. 1845-1855. A monograph of the British nudibranchiate mollusca. London, Ray Society.
Eriksson, R., Nuygren, A. & Sundberg, P. 2006. Genetic evidence of phenotypic polymorphism in the aeolid nudibranch Flabellina verrucosa (M. Sars, 1829) (Opisthobranchia: Nudibranchia). Organisms, Diversity and Evolution 6:1, 71-76
Odhner, N.H. 1922. Norwegian opisthobranchiate mollusca in the collection of the Zoologial Museum of Kristiana. Nyt. Mag.Naturv. 60: 1-47
Rudman, W. Sea Slug Forum (SSF)
Sars, M. 1829. Bidrag til söedyrenes naturhistorie. Pt 1. Bergen.
Thompson, T.E. & Brown, G.H. 1976. British opisthobranch molluscs. London.
Thompson, T.E. & Brown, G.H. 1984. Biology of opisthobranch molluscs 2. London, Ray Society.
Current taxonomy; See notes at top of this account.
Irish distribution maps
Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C., 2010. Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland. (EML)
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Body (excluding appendages)