Discodorididae
| Discodorididae | |
|---|---|
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| Rostanga elandsia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura clade Nudipleura clade Nudibranchia |
| Superfamily: | Doridoidea |
| Family: |
Discodorididae Bergh, 1891 |
| Type genus | |
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Discodoris |
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| Genera | |
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See text. |
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| Synonyms | |
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See text.
Discodorididae is a taxonomic family of sea slugs, specifically dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Doridoidea.
Species in this family belong to the cryptobranch dorid nudibranchs, i.e. they are able to retract their gills into a gill pocket (cryptobranch = hidden gills). Most are small and hard to identify. Most are thought to feed at night on sponges, while during the day they search for dark areas or remain hidden under rocks.
One example of a discodoridid is the "Pacific sea lemon" or "speckled sea lemon", Peltodoris nobilis, which occurs off the coast of British Columbia to Baja California from low-tide waters to a depth of about 200 m. Not only is this species yellow with a bumpy surface, but it also gives off a strong fruity citrus smell when handled, adding to its resemblance to a lemon.
Genera within the family Discodorididae include:
Peltodoris (Discodoris) atromaculata
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