Aegires leuckartii

Aegires leuckartii (Vérany, 1853)

Aegires leuckartii @ L'Escala by Enric Madrenas

Taxonomic note: Several authors (Haefelfinger, 1968; Ortea, Luque & Templado, 1990) have postulated the synonymy between A. leuckartii and A. punctilucens while Risbec (1928, 1953) has tried to synonymize it with A. albopunctatus (actually identified as A. pruvotfolae). There is an extensive discussion of these issues in the paper (Fahey & Gosliner, 2004 p.630-632). We consider A. leuckartii is a valid species.

Synonyms

• Aegires leuckarti [sic]. Vérany chose the name “leuckartii” for this new species. Later authors as Vayssière (1901) and others removed the last ‘i’, however the ICZN article 58 considers synonyms the specific names of species dedicated to people with the suffix ‘-i’ or ‘-ii’, so the use of “leuckartii” according to its original description is considered correct.

Description
This small nudibranch can reach up to 5 mm in length, with the body rigid and limaciform, wider at the front side and at the level of the gills, finished in a pointed tail. The head has a relatively large frontal veil with rounded side lobes and flattened oral tentacles. It has numerous large and globular shaped tubercles, symmetrically distributed throughout the body, with small spicules protruding at the apex. The body color is translucent white and the internal organs can be seen by transparency in juveniles. The adults have an opaque white superficial pigmentation with brown spots on the apexes of tubercles, rhinophores and around the gill tubercles. The foot is white. The rhinophores are smooth and each can be retracted within a rhinophoric sheath, protected with a large tubercle on each outer edge. It has 3 bipinnate gills, each protected by a specific tubercle.

Biology
According to Schmekel and Portmann (1982) feeding is based on calcareous sponges of the Leucosoleniidae family, although other unconfirmed studies indicate algae of the genus Codium. The spawn can be found between September and October. It is usually found in rocky bottoms down to 30 meters deep.

Etymology

• Aegires, related to the Norse and Celtic god of the seashore and ocean, Aegir. Although he was feared for causing storms when angry, he was also reknowned for his hospitality as the brewer of beer for the gods, the sea foam being considered homologous with the froth on a glass of beer.
• Leuckartii devoted to Friederich Sigismund Leuckart, (1794-1843; Germany), together with Eduard Rüppell, co-author of the “Atlas zu der Reise im nördlichen Afrika. Erste Abtheilung Zoologie” (1830)

Distribution
It is supposed to be endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, where it is considered a rare species. It has been cited in all the Iberian Mediterranean coasts, including the Balearic Islands.

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Bibliography

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Bibliography based on the works by Steve Long, 2006. Bibliography of Opisthobranchia 1554-2000 and Gary McDonald, 2009. Bibliographia Nudibranchia, with later updates from other resources.

Further reading

• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• CIB - Club Immersio Biologia
• El Litoral de Granada
• Flickr pictures
• GROC
• Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera
• MedSlugs (Med)
• NCBI GenBank
• OBIS - Search by Taxon
• World Register of Marine Species

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