Glaucus marginatus

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Glaucus marginatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Cladobranchia
Family: Glaucidae
Genus: Glaucus
Species:
G. marginatus
Binomial name
Glaucus marginatus
(Reinhardt & Bergh, 1864)
Synonyms[1]
  • Glaucilla briarea (Reinhardt & Bergh, 1864)
  • Glaucilla marginata (Reinhardt & Bergh, 1864) (original combination)

Glaucus marginatus is a species of small, floating, blue sea slug; a pelagic (open-ocean) aeolid nudibranch; a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusc in the family Glaucidae.[1][2] This species is closely related to Glaucus atlanticus, and is part of a species complex (Informal clade Marginatus) along with Glaucus bennettae, Glaucus thompsoni, and Glaucus mcfarlanei.[3] Like Glaucus atlanticus, it is commonly known as a blue dragon.[4]

Description[edit]

This nudibranch is dark blue, and in many ways it resembles a smaller version of Glaucus atlanticus. However, in this species the cerata are arranged in a single row in each arch.[citation needed]

While G. atlanticus is up to 3 centimetres (1.2 in) long, G. marginate is only about 1.3 centimetres (0.51 in) long, and its tail is shorter than its cousin. The species has a light and dark blue foot.[4]

Distribution[edit]

This species is pelagic, and can be found in the Pacific Ocean.[citation needed]

While they do not usually inhabit coastal regions, hundreds of the creatures were observed washing up on one of the Sydney North Shore beaches, near Long Reef, in February 2021.[4]

Habitat and behaviour[edit]

These small nudibranches float upside down on the surface tension in temperate and tropical seas. They eat colonial cnidarians such as the Portuguese man o' war[2] (a.k.a. bluebottle, or Physalia utriculus), blue buttons (Porpita porpita), and the by-the-wind sailor (Velella velella).[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Glaucus". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b Valdés A. & Campillo O.A. (2004) Systematics of pelagic aeolid nudibranchs of the family Glaucidae (Mollusca, Gastropoda). Bulletin of Marine Science 75(3): 381–389.[1]
  3. ^ Churchill C.K.C, Valdés A. & Ó Foighil D. (2014) Molecular and morphological systematics of neustonic nudibranchs (Mollusca : Gastropoda : Glaucidae : Glaucus), with descriptions of three new cryptic species. Invertebrate Systematics 28(2): 174-195.[2]
  4. ^ a b c d Salleh, Anna (12 February 2021). "Bizarre 'blue fleet' blows onto Australia's east coast". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 February 2021.

Sources[edit]