Felimare tricolor

Felimare tricolor (Cantraine, 1835)

Felimare tricolor by Enric Madrenas

Taxonomy
 

Superdomain

Biota  

 

Kingdom

Animalia  

 

Phylum

Mollusca  

 

Class

Gastropoda  

 

Subclass

Heterobranchia  

 

Infraclass

Euthyneura  

 

Subterclass

Ringipleura  

 

Superorder

Nudipleura  

 

Order

Nudibranchia  

 

Suborder

Doridina  

 

Infraorder

Doridoidei  

 

Superfamily

Chromodoridoidea  

 

Family

Chromodorididae  

 

Subfamily

Miamirinae  

 

Genus

Felimare  

 

Species

Felimare tricolor  (Cantraine, 1835)

 
 Classification according to Bouchet et al. (2017)
Taxonomic source: World Register of Marine Species (AphiaID: 597530).

Taxonomic note: The European Atlantic and Mediterranean species of the genus Chromodoris and Hypselodoris have been reconsidered. After molecular analysis of the Chromodorididae performed by Johnson & Gosliner (2012, Traditional taxonomic groupings mask evolutionary history: A molecular phylogeny and new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs. PLoS ONE 7(4): 33479) the Hypselodoris species have been included in the genus Felimare Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1967 and the Chromodoris species have been included in the genus Felimida Ev. Marcus, 1971.

This species leaded one of the most famous controversies in the opisthobranch world. There is a group of specialists that claimed Felimare tricolor was a different species without discussion, while others claimed that it was Felimare midatlantica (Gosliner, 1990). Since the paper (Furfaro et al., 2016) it can be concluded that Felimare midatlantica is F. tricolor in the end. Both WoRMS and CLEMAM databases label F. tricolor as a valid species and F. midatlantica as a synonym.

Synonyms

  • Chromodoris tricolor (Cantraine, 1835)
  • Doris tricolor Cantraine, 1835 (original)
  • Felimare midatlantica (Gosliner, 1990)
  • Glossodoris tricolor (Cantraine, 1835)
  • Hypselodoris midatlantica Gosliner, 1990
  • Hypselodoris tricolor (Cantraine, 1835)
  • Mexichromis tricolor (Cantraine, 1835)

Description
The animals of this species typically measure between 20 and 30 mm in length. The body is slender, somewhat wider in its anterior side and color is bluish. The edge of the mantle is yellow and the center of the back has a longitudinal band running from the area between the rhinophores to the gill sheath, surrounding it and continuing until near the back edge of the mantle. The middle dorsal line is whitish in smaller specimens and gradually becomes yellow as they grow up. On both sides of the central yellow band on the back there are usually several turquoise rounded or oblong spots that appear perfectly aligned. On the flanks of the body there is also a whitish or yellowish longitudinal band that surrounds the genital papilla on the right side, forming a ring around it. Both sidebands are joined in the tail as a yellow dorsal band. Ortea et al. (1996) indicate the color variability according to the exemplary species and size. The laminar zone of the rhinophores has 20-25 lamellae and is coloured dark blue, the apex is somewhat clearer, as is the alaminar basal zone. The rhinophoric sheath is high and has a smooth edge. The gill consists of 8-10 gill leaves coloured dark blue with a beige or white rachis; gill lamellae of each sheet are semitransparent and alternately large and small. The foot is narrow and truncated on the front side, the mouth has two short and wide oral palps.

Biology
This species is relatively common throughout both European Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, living from the intertidal zone down to over 100 m deep. It prefers rocky substrates and vertical walls with abundance of algae and invertebrates, or under stones. Specimens of this species have from 2-5 type 3 defensive glands (MDF’s) on the back edge of the mantle and occasionally at the leading edge, near the rhinophores (García-Gómez et al 1991;. Wägele et al. 2006). Several secondary metabolites have been isolated from its body, of the sesquiterpenoids type, such as longifolina, obtained from the sponge species it feeds on, of the genus Dysidea (D. avara, D. fragilis) and showing a clear defensive mission when they are expelled outside (Àvila, 1993; Fontana et al., 1993). The spawn is an spiral wounded ribbon of 3 laps and about 2 mm in height, containing white eggs about 90 microns in diameter (Ortea et al. 1996).

Etymology

  • Tricolor. From Latin “tres”, three + “color”, color.

Distribution
This is an European species that has been recorded from the Atlantic coast of France to the western Mediterranean, also in the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. However, as it has been repeatedly confused with other species of blue Felimare (F. villafranca, F. fontandraui, F. orsinii) it is possible that geographical distribution could be wider. In the Iberian Peninsula it has been cited in all coastal areas (Cervera et al ,. 2004) and in Catalonia it has been reported in many locations in the Costa Brava, also in Canet de Mar, Mataró and at the Port of l’Estany (Tarragona).

Known georeferenced records of the species: Felimare tricolor
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

Abundance

    Western Mediterranean: ★★★☆☆
    Eastern Mediterranean: ★☆☆☆☆
    Atlantic Ocean: ★★☆☆☆
Month

This chart displays the monthly observation probability for Felimare tricolor based on our own records.

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Bibliography

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Further reading

Cite this article as:

Ballesteros, M., Madrenas, E. & Pontes, M. (2023) "Felimare tricolor" in OPK-Opistobranquis. Published: 16/05/2012. Accessed: 19/03/2024. Available at (https://opistobranquis.info/en/?p=464)

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