Willan's Chromodoris

Chromodoris willani is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae. The species is named for the renowned nudibranch taxonomist Dr. Richard C. Willan.

Description

It has a bluish white or translucent white background colour and dark blue or black longitudinal stripes. The most distinguishing external feature are the white spots or specks on both the gills and the rhinophores. The rhinophores can range in colour from a watery translucent version of the background bluish white colour to a straw yellow-brown.

Chromodoris willani is similar in appearance to Chromodoris lochi, Chromodoris boucheti and Chromodoris dianae. This species can be distinguished by the very prominent white specks found on the gills and rhinophores.

Distribution

This nudibranch is found in the Western Pacific Ocean, from Indonesia and the Philippines to Vanuatu.

Habitat

It feeds on sponges (Cacospongia mycofijiensis and Semitaspongia, both in the family Thorectidae). They are are simultaneous hermaphrodites. Mating behavior: Both individuals darts their penis toward each other to induce one to act as a male and the other as the female. The victorious one to penetrate the body wall is the dominant male. Life cycle: Eggs are deposited on a substratum where they develop and hatch into (planktonic) vestigial veliger larval stage and further grow as adults.