How many species of nudibranch are there?
There are more than 2,000 known species of nudibranch, and new ones are being identified almost daily. They are found throughout the world’s oceans, but are most abundant in shallow, tropical waters.
How do I identify a nudibranch?
Basics and Anatomy for Nudibranch Identification (in short) The horn-like tentacles they have on their head are rhinophores, they are for detecting odor (smell) and they can be retracted when a predator comes around. The pompom on his back is a branchial plume, gills to filter oxygen from the water (breathe).
How do you come up with a species name?
There are some rules you must follow when naming a new species:
- The name must be unique. The combination of genus name and species name cannot have been used for any other animal.
- The name can’t be rude. The ICZN states that no name should give offence on any grounds.
- You can’t name the species after yourself.
What is a common name for nudibranchs?
Nudibranchs, commonly known as sea slugs, are a group of shell-less marine molluscs. Their name means ‘naked gill’, referring to the breathing apparatus on the outside of their soft bodies.
What is the largest nudibranch?
Reaching sizes of at least 16 inches (40 cm), the Spanish dancer is the largest nudibranch and one of the largest sea slugs on the planet.
What phylum is nudibranch?
MolluscaNudibranch / Phylum
Nudibranchs are often casually called sea slugs, as they are a family of opistobranchs (sea slugs), within the phylum Mollusca (molluscs), but many sea slugs belong to several taxonomic groups which are not closely related to nudibranchs.
Is a nudibranch a mollusk?
nudibranch, also called sea slug, any of the marine gastropods that constitute the order Nudibranchia (subclass Opisthobranchia of the class Gastropoda). Nudibranchs possess a radular feeding organ, but they characteristically lack a shell, gills, and mantle cavity typical of other mollusks.
Can you name a species after yourself?
There are a lot of rules involved in animal species naming, all found in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, including the rule that you cannot name a species after yourself.
How do you name a new species of animals?
If a new species is being named, it must be identified which genus it belongs to and why, and then the species name can be added. Species names can be repeated between genera (so lots of genera have a species termed ‘magnus’ for big or ‘annectens’ for different etc.), but genera must be unique.
Is a nudibranch a flatworm?
Flatworms are unsegmented worms belonging to Phylum Platyhelminthes. Nudibranchs and slugs belong to Phylum Mollusca. Some flatworms pseudo tentacles made out of folded edges of the body margins.