Whitetip Aeolid – Baeolidia salaamica

, Whitetip Aeolid - Baeolidia salaamica, Baeolidia salaamica

Afghanistan, Alaska, Algeria, Andaman and Nicobar, Angola, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Arctic, Argentina, Ascension Island, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Azores Islands, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Cocos Islands, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Corsica Island, Crete Island, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, El Salvador, England, Equatorial Guinea, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, Galapagos Islands, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hawaii, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macedonia, Madagascar, Madeira Islands, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Saint Martin, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sardinia Island, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Sicily Island, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uruguay, US Minor Islands, USA, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wales, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Amvrakikos Gulf, Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Aral Sea, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, Barents Sea, Bay of Bengal, Bay of Biscay, Beaufort Sea, Bering Sea, Black Sea, Bohai Sea, Cantabrian Sea, Celtic Sea, Chukchi Sea, Coral Sea, Dead Sea, English Channel, German Bight, Great Barrier Reef, Greenland Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Fonseca, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Halmahera Sea, Iberian Sea, Indian Ocean, Java Sea, Korinthiakos Gulf, Labrador Sea, Levantine Sea, Lingayan Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, Moro Gulf, Okhotsk Sea, Pacific Ocean, Pagassitikos Gulf, Salish Sea, Saronikos Gulf, Scotia Sea, Sea of Azov, Sea of Marmara, Siberian Sea, South China Sea, Southern Ocean, Thermaikos Gulf

The Whitetip Aeolid – Baeolidia salaamica is a captivating species of nudibranch, belonging to the family Aeolidiidae. These vibrant creatures are known for their striking appearance and intriguing predatory habits.

Description & Characteristics

Baeolidia salaamica showcases a slender, elongated body with a characteristic white tip at the end of each cerata, the finger-like projections that cover its back. The cerata are arranged in rows along the body, giving the Whitetip Aeolid a distinctively spiky appearance. Their coloration is typically a combination of yellow, orange, and brown, with variations in intensity depending on their diet and geographical location. The Whitetip Aeolid can reach a maximum size of approximately 25 mm.

Habitat and Occurrence

Baeolidia salaamica is a common sight in shallow coastal waters, particularly in the intertidal and subtidal zones. This species thrives in a variety of marine ecosystems, including rocky reefs, sandy bottoms, and seagrass meadows. They are often found in areas with abundant sea anemones, their primary food source.

Taxonomy

The Whitetip Aeolid – Baeolidia salaamica, is classified within the Phylum Mollusca, belonging to the Class Gastropoda, Order Nudibranchia, and Family Aeolidiidae. Gastropods, a diverse group, include snails and slugs, while Nudibranchia encompasses the vibrant and often colorful sea slugs. The Aeolidiidae family is known for its members’ characteristic cerata, which are filled with cnidosacs, structures that store stinging cells acquired from their prey, providing a defense mechanism.

Feeding

Baeolidia salaamica is a carnivore, feeding primarily on sea anemones. These nudibranchs possess specialized feeding habits, utilizing their radula, a toothed ribbon in their mouth, to scrape off the tissues of their prey. The stinging cells, or nematocysts, from the anemones are then stored in the cnidosacs within the cerata, providing the Whitetip Aeolid with a defense mechanism against predators.

Associated Species

Image References

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