Zephyr Hypselodoris

Hypselodoris zephyra is a species of colourful sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.

Description

Hypselodoris zephyra has a yellowish white body with black striated lines running all over the body and upper dorsum. The mantle and foot have a purple marginal line. The gills and rhinophores are orange-red with white tips. This species can reach a total length of at least 40 mm and feeds on blue sponges from the genus Dysidea.

It is similar in colour pattern to Hypselodoris nigrostriata but in this species the black lines are parallel rather than oblique. The purple marks can sometimes be lines. The gills are simple, not triangular in cross section.

Distribution

This nudibranch was described from Madang, Papua New Guinea. It is found in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.