Trinchesia miniostriata (Schmekel, 1968)
Taxonomic note: The phylogenetic analyses performed by Cella et al. (2016) revealed that the traditional Tergipedidae family is polyphyletic and belongs to a larger monophyletic clade including members of the traditional families Eubranchidae, Fionidae and Calmidae; this was an unexpected result, since the validity of these taxa and their distinctness from the Tergipedidae was never questioned before. They proposed to join the families Tergipedidae, Eubranchidae, Calmidae and Fionidae under the name of Fionidae. Within Fionidae, obtained results demonstrated the need of developing a new classification as previous classifications (for instance, separating Catriona, Cuthona and Trinchesia as distinct taxa) were inconsistent with the resulting phylogeny. Analyses also recover a clade (Tenellia) that includes all members of the genera Tenellia, Trinchesia, Phestilla, Catriona and the majority of described and undescribed Cuthona species. New genera Rubramoena, Abronica and Tergiposacca are proposed to group other species. This molecular study also suggests that Fionidae is rich in cryptic species complexes, difficult to separate by traditional taxonomic characters, and a great previously undetected species diversity.
A few months later Korshunova et al. (2017) take up the study of the phylogeny of the Tergipedidae and using not only molecular data but also morphological and ontogenetic data they severely criticise the work by Cella et al. (2016), proposing to reinstate the families Calmidae, Eubranchidae, Fionidae, Tergipedidae, Cuthonidae, Cuthonellidae and Trinchesiidae, the latter being the most abundant in specific taxa. They also reinstate the genera Catriona, Diaphoreolis, Phestilla and Trinchesia that in the paper by Cella et al. (2016) had been included in the genus Tenellia. Korshunova et al. also describe a new genus, Zelentia that includes Z. pustulata (type species Eolis pustulataAlder & Hancock, 1854), Z. fulgens (MacFarland, 1966) and a new species from the Barents Sea, Z. ninel, indicating important p-distances among the three species (between 10.49% and 13.83%). All previous genera, Korshunova et al. (2017) consider them within the family Trinchesiidae. They also question the validity of the Rubramoena genus of Cella et al.
The position of WoRMS is conservative, maintaining the families Cuthonidae, Calmidae, Cuthonellidae, Eubranchidae, Fionidae, Pseudovermidae, Tergipedidae and Trinchesiidae within the superfamily Fionoidea. The European species that, until recently, were considered as Cuthona, WoRMS considers them within the genus Trinchesia, as T.albopunctata, T.caerulea, T.foliata, T.genovae, T.granosa, T.ilonae, T.miniostriata and T.ocellata. Rubramoena is also considered a valid genus in WoRMS. These opinions are those that we accept in OPK while no other more conclusive data are available.
Synonyms
- Tenellia miniostriata (Schmekel, 1968)
- Cuthona miniostriata (Schmekel, 1968)
Description
This is a small sized aeolidacean because specimens rarely exceed 5 mm in length. The body is whitish due to an opaque white pigment that covers most of the body, including cerata. The detail that clearly identifies this species are the reddish bands that cross the dorsal region of the rhinophores and oral tentacles. The middle area of the longitudinal rhinophoric band becomes a ring fully surrounding the rhinophore. On the base of the rhinophores, these reddish bands may continue back down to the base of the first cerata. The tip of the rhinophores and oral tentacles are white and semitransparent. The eyes are clearly visible on the rear base of the rhinophores. The cerata are short, somewhat globose and with a rounded end; they are coloured white but the brown or slightly reddish digestive gland can be appreciated at the cerata base. There are 5-6 well separated groups of cerata on each side of the body each with only 2-4 cerata. In some less pigmented white specimens a cnidosac can be observed at the tip of the cerata. The foot is narrow and semitransparent, slightly widened in its anterior zone but without forming propodial palps.
Biology
This is a species that lives among algae with epibiont hydrarians but which, because of its rarity, very little data is known on its biology. Schmekel & Portmann (1982) indicate that this species feeds on an athecate hydrozoan of the genus Bougainvillia. The same authors cite that the spawn are ellipsoidal or kidney-shaped and contain whitish or slightly pinkish eggs about 80 microns in diameter.
Etymology
- Trinchesia. In honor of Professor Salvatore Trinchese (1836-1897), Italian opisthobranchiologist, Professor of Zoology at Bologna University and successor of Paolo Panceri as Professor of Comparative Anatomy at the University of Napoli.
- Miniostriata. From “minio”, derived from the Latin “minium” a bright red dust employed as a pigment in glass making and as a paint to cover iron parts and prevent rusting + “Striata”, from Latin “striatus” striated, grooved.
Distribution
Trinchesia miniostriata is known only from the western Mediterranean: it has been cited in Italy (Naples and Salento), in Malta, in France (Banyuls) and in Spain (Murcia and the Costa Brava).
| Sources: | |
 : OBIS : GROC 2010-2011 : Enric Madrenas : João Pedro Silva : Bernard Picton : GBIF.ORG |  : OPK : VIMAR : Manuel Ballesteros. : M@re Nostrum : Altres fonts : Marine Regions |
Similar species
Dicata odhneri, of similar color and size, but with rhinophores and oral tentacles with yellow tips, without the red lines behind the rhinophores and cerata thin, not globose, coloured opaque white.
Abundance
| Western Mediterranean: | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Eastern Mediterranean: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Atlantic Ocean: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
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Cite this article as:
Ballesteros, M., Madrenas, E. & Pontes, M. (2023) "Trinchesia miniostriata" in OPK-Opistobranquis. Published: 11/09/2014. Accessed: 01/06/2023. Available at (https://opistobranquis.info/en/HjCgt)
