Madrella ferruginosa
Alder & Hancock, 1864

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: ARMININA
Family: Madrellidae

DISTRIBUTION

Tropical Indo-West Pacific

PHOTO

UPPER RIGHT: Lagoon between mainland and Récif de l'Infernet, off Koumac, New Caledonia, 20°34.4'S, 164°13'E, 12m, 4 October 1993, 42mm long alive, AM C200330
LOWER LEFT: N point of Île Nou, Nouméa, New Caledonia, October 1988, intertidal, on bryozoan, AM C156616.
LOWER RIGHT: Head and right side, showing shape of left rhinophore and dark basal gland at base of each ceras. Île Amédée, SW Lagoon, New Caledonia, 1m, October 1988, reef crest, under coral rock, AM C156658.
PHOTOS: Bill Rudman.

RELATED TOPIC

Madrella sanguinea

Grows to about 45mm. Very similar in shape to Madrella sanguinea but is a darker orange or red-brown colour and grows to a much larger size. Usually found on its food bryozoan. See page on M. sanguinea for a discussion of the two species. Both species have a gland at the base of each ceras [see photo below] which exudes a bright yellow or orange secretion, which is possibly derived from its bryozoan food.

Reference:
• Alder, J. & Hancock, A. (1864). Notice of a collection of nudibranchiate mollusca made in India by Walter Elliot Esq., with descriptions of several new genera and species. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London, 5: 113-147.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (January 7) Madrella ferruginosa Alder & Hancock, 1864 . [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/madrferr

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