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Melibe leonina (Lion nudibranch)
Copyright © 2010
Mary Jo Adams
With its unique and bizarre appearance, it’s hard to confuse Melibe with anything else when it is intact and submerged. If it strands on the beach however, it may be mistaken for a jelly as it then resembles a gelatinous blob. Melibe is semitransparent and has a large anterior hood ringed with 2 rows of tentacles and 3-6 pairs of disk shaped cerata on its dorsal surface. The animal may otherwise be tinted yellow-brown to greenish brown. Maximum length is 4 inches (10 cm.) A close look may reveal the digestive tract, visible as dark branching lines. It moves in a side to side thrashing motion when it becomes dislodged from its place of attachment.
The lion nudibranch is found among eelgrass and kelp and may occur in swarms. It uses the hood to capture amphipods and other tiny crustaceans which it feeds on. It can be found from the low intertidal zone to a subtidal depth of 115 feet (37 meters). It has previously been known under the scientific names Chioraera leonina, Melibe dalli, Chioraera dalli, and Melibe pellucida. Other common names include hooded nudibranch and transparent nudibranch.
This
page was created by Mary Jo Adams on 1/11/10.
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