Dendronotus comteti
Valdés & Bouchet, 1998
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DENDRONOTINA
Family: Dendronotidae
DISTRIBUTION
Known only from one site on the Mid Atlantic Ridge.
PHOTO
Plate from Valdés & Bouchet, (1998). [I will add details when I obtain a copy of the publication]
There is the first and only species of opisthobranch known from hydrothermal
vents. It was described from the Lucky Strike area in the Mid-Atlantic ridge. It is still unknown how these naked Dendronotus are able to survive in such a toxic environment. It appears that the nudibranchs inhabit the peripheral areas with lower hydrothermal activity, but still very toxic. The specimens were found in the proximity of hydroids, which probably constitute their food source.
Reference:
• Valdés, A. & Bouchet, P. (1998) Naked in toxic fluids: a nudibranch mollusc from hydrothermal vents. Deep Sea Research Part II: Tropical Studies in Oceanography, 45: 319-327.
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (October 4) Dendronotus comteti Valdés & Bouchet, 1998. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/dendcomt
