Marionia echinomuriceae
Jensen, 1994
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DENDRONOTINA
Family: Tritoniidae
DISTRIBUTION
Hong Kong
PHOTO
Animal feeding on its food gorgonian, Echinomuricea indomalaccensis. This is one of specimens used by Jensen in her description. Hong Kong, Depth: 18m. 27 April 1992. Photo: Kathe Jensen
The background colour is a translucent grey, and over the whole of the body are closely scattered opaque creamy-white or brownish white slightly raised angular patches, described by Jensen as 'warts'. Over much of the dorsal surface, the translucent space between the warts is covered with a reddish brown pigment, which forms a reticulate pattern over the dorsum. The gills are dark red at the bases and densely covered with white dots. White and green pigment is distributed on the wart-like opaque patches. The margin of the sole of the foot is white.
The animals described by Jensen (1994) were up to 20 mm alive. The oral veil is divided into two lobes, each having between six and eight tentacular processes, some of which are distally bi- or trifurcate; the outermost one is the auriculate oral tentacle. The rhinophore sheaths have crenulate margins and a low keel on the outer side, continuous with the lateral keel on the body. The rhinophores have 8-10 bipinnate branchlets and a thin, central, smooth stem. The body is tall and has a squarish outline; the anus is located either below the fourth or between the fourth and fifth gill on the right side. The genital opening is located either between the second and third or between the third and fourth gill. There are between 10 and 14 pairs of quadrinpinnate gills; each gill having about 10 main pinnae.
The sole of the foot is broad; its anterior margin is grooved, the dorsal fold bearing small papillae. It has been found feeding on the gorgonian Echinomuricea indomalaccensis.
Reference:
• Jensen, K.R. (1994). Sublittoral notaspidea and nudibranchia (Opisthobranchia) from Hong Kong, with a description of a new species. In: The Malacofauna of Hong Kong and Southern China III (Ed. B. Morton). Proceedings of the Third Internatioanl Workshop on the Malacofauna of Hong Kong and Southern China, Hong Kong 13 April - 1 May 1992. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
Rudman, W.B., 2003 (July 30) Marionia echinomuriceae Jensen, 1994. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/mariechi
