Okenia pulchella is a species of sea slug, a nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Goniodorididae.
Description & Characteristics
Okenia pulchella is a small nudibranch, with an average size of about 10 mm (0.4 in). The body is elongate and slender, with a distinctive orange-red coloration. It has numerous white spots scattered across its body, giving it a speckled appearance. The rhinophores, or sensory organs, are short and club-shaped, with a white tip. The cerata, the finger-like projections on the back of the animal, are slender and pointed, with a white tip and a bright orange body.
Habitat and Occurrence
Okenia pulchella is found in the intertidal zone and shallow subtidal waters. It prefers to inhabit rocky areas with abundant algae. The species is common in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, specifically in the British Isles, Norway, and France. It is often found in the infralittoral zone, which is the shallowest part of the subtidal zone, where it thrives in environments with abundant sunlight and water movement.
Taxonomy
Okenia pulchella belongs to the Class: Gastropoda, Order: Nudibranchia, and Family: Goniodorididae. This family encompasses a wide variety of colorful and diverse sea slugs, known for their distinctive external gills and lack of a shell.
Feeding
Okenia pulchella is a carnivore, specializing in feeding on hydroids, a type of colonial animal that often resembles tiny plants. This feeding behavior allows Okenia pulchella to access a rich and readily available food source, contributing to its prevalence in the coastal environments it inhabits.
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