Adams’ Bornella

Bornella stellifera is a species of sea slug, a nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Bornellidae.

Description

The body is covered with cerata-like dorsal and lateral outgrowths, with finger-like branches.It has an attached cluster of gills. Its rounded head shows on each side of the mouth a tentacle, with tiny finger-like papillae. The sheath of the rhinophore stands high and resembles the dorsal processes.

Body is long, narrow and somewhat cylindrical, pale or white with widely spaced net-like pattern of orange-red lines. Two rows of finger-like appendages along the body (not true cerata) are usually orange tipped, and protect feathery white gills, and conical orange rhinophores. The lobe-like oral tentacles, rhinophoral papillae and dorsolateral processes are translucent white and have a subapical orange ring.

Distribution

Indo-Pacific Ocean from Madagascar to Palau, also Hawaii.

Habitat and Biology

Inhabits subtropical rocky reef. It feeds on hydroids.