Runcina ferruginea (Kress, 1977)
Superdomain | Biota | |
Kingdom | Animalia | |
Phylum | Mollusca | |
Class | Gastropoda | |
Subclass | Heterobranchia | |
Infraclass | Euthyneura | |
Subterclass | Tectipleura | |
Order | Runcinida | |
Superfamily | Runcinoidea | |
Family | Runcinidae | |
Genus | Runcina | |
Species | Runcina ferruginea Kress, 1977 | |
| Classification according to Bouchet et al. (2017) Taxonomic source: World Register of Marine Species (AphiaID: 141412). | ||
This is a species whose specimens rarely exceed 4 mm. The body is narrow and elongated, limaciforme, with homogeneous reddish-brown coloration that honors the specific name. The center of the back can be somewhat darker due to the viscera. In some specimens the color can be blackish or orange, so it can be confused with small turbellarians (triclades). None of the specimens shows dark or light spots. The head region has light side lobes. The eyes are located near the front of the cephalic area. The foot is colored slightly lighter than the body, with long rounded tail. Beneath the rear of the notum there are 3 small semitransparent unipinnate gills.
Biology
No details are known of its biology. Like other species of Runcina it is believed to have herbivore eating habits.
Etymology
- Runcina. From Latin “runcina”, carpenter’s plane.
- Ferruginea. From Latin, feminine singular of “ferrūgineus”, meaning “rust colored”.
Distribution
The specific name clearly identifies the reddish coloration of this species. It has Atlantic and Mediterranean distribution. In the Iberian Peninsula it is known from the Cantabrian coast, Galicia, coast of Portugal, Gibraltar Strait, and south eastern coast. In Catalonia it is cited based on a single specimen collected in Es Caials (north 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 |
References for the species: Runcina ferruginea
- Cantabria: Ortea and Moro (1999).
Galicia: Ortea and Urgorri (1981b), Fernández-Ovies (1983).
Portugal: García-Gómez et al. (1991), Calado et al. (1999), Ortea and Moro (1999).
Gibraltar: García-Gómez et al. (1989), Cervera, García-Gómez and García (1991), Sánchez-Moyano et al. (2000).
Levante: Marín and Ros (1987).
Catalunya: Ballesteros (datos no publicados) [Blanes].
Sources: Cervera et al., 2004, Ballesteros, 2007 & 2016, McDonald, 2006 and other sources.
Abundance
| Western Mediterranean: |  |
| Eastern Mediterranean: | |
| Atlantic Ocean: | |
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Bibliography
Further reading
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