Beautiful Gypsy Nudibranch

Description

Hypselodoris pulchella is a long slender species with a body size up to 80 mm or even 110 mm. The mantle edges are well extended along the body, with a thin bluish border. The mantle and the foot are creamy white, covered with numerous small rounded yellowish-orange spots of different sizes. There is always a diffuse pattern of pale violet-brown on the back; this is absent in the similar species Hypselodoris ghardaqana. The sensory tentacles (the antennae like rhinophores) are bluish. The main respiratory organs (gills) vary from bluish to orange. These sea slugs usually raise and lower rhythmically their head, vibrating their gills. They often show a characteristic 'trailing' behaviour, with two individuals following closely each other. This species feeds on sponges.

Distribution

This species was described from the Red Sea. Hypselodoris pulchella is found in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean from Kenya and Tanzania, the Comores, Réunion to Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Philippines.

Habitat

This benthic species can be found at a depth of 3-30 meters.