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Biology and relationships of the nudibranch mollusc Notobryon wardi in South Africa, with a review of the Scyllaeidae
Author(s) -
Thompson T. E.,
Brown Gregory H.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1981.tb04592.x
Subject(s) - nudibranch , biology , benthic zone , zoology , hydrozoa , predation , ecology , mollusca , cnidaria , coral
The Scyllaeidae is an important but little understood family of dendronotacean nudibranchs distinguished principally by having one or two pairs of latero‐dorsal flattened cerata which bear mesial arborescent gills. Most published records of scyllaeids have related to the world‐wide species of Scyllaea found in association with Sargassum , feeding upon attached hydroids. Other scyllaeids belonging to the genera Crosslandia and Notobryon are predominantly benthic, although they may swim to escape predators. Very little is known about them; on the South African coast, for example, benthic scyllaeids have been confused with Scyllaea pelagica . The present paper includes an investigation of these South African animals, with observations from life. Furthermore, a comparative account is given of living material of Crosslandia from Tanzania and of Scyllaea from the Gulf of Mexico. It is concluded that Scyllaea, Crosslandia and Notobryon are all valid and well founded genera; they are re‐defined in the light of the present study.