Psychedelic Batwing Slug

It is a sea slug in the family Gastropteridae

Distribution

Indo-Pacific to Guam and Fiji, also Hawaii

Description

Max length is 2 cm. It has the upturned and greatly extended posterior end of the cephalic shield. The prominent dorsal hump is partially enclosed by the parapodia, but the translucent gills are visible. They look like wingy expansions forming three wide folds when resting. The colour varies from cream to grey in the center to orange to yellow on the fringe. A wide cream to yellowish band around the mantle edge. The mantle is greyish with area surrounding by a dense black line. Flamboyantly marked with orange spots outlined in black.

Habitat and biology

It occasionally swims with enlarged, wing-like parapodia. It feeds on sponges. In shallow water it feeds upon the rubbery green sponge, Dysidea cf herbacea. In deeper water it is found upon the gray sponge, Dysidea sp together with Sagaminopteron nigropunctatu.