Reticulated Goniobranchus

Goniobranchus reticulatus is a species of colorful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.

Description

Very small species, oval, with low back, and the foot of which exceeds the mantle. The entire upper part of the body is reticulated in reddish brown with lacquer spots, while the lower part is a beautiful white; the foot alone has its edge coloured yellow. The slightly pointed labial appendages are also of this colour. The tentacles are streaked and yellowish; a groove joins the two cavities which receives them. The contour of the gill cavity forms a fairly high projection at the end of the mantle. The leaflets are twelve or thirteen divisions, lanceolate, in the shape of petals. Their colour is yellowish brown.

Distribution

It has been reported widely in the tropical Indo-West Pacific but many of the records refer to Goniobranchus tinctorius (Indian Ocean and Red Sea), Goniobranchus alderi (Taiwan and Japan) and similarly coloured, undescribed, species.