Scientific name: Eubranchus farrani
(Alder&Hancock, 1844)
Common Name:
Depth: Down to 30m
Measures: Up to 25mm
How does it look like?
They are variable in colour with four different phenotypes (types). The normal phenotype is a translucent white with yellow-orange spots on the dorsal cerata, olfactory organs and orientation organs (rinophores and oral tentacles). Other phenotypes have purple-orange or black gold coloured bodies. There have also been seen Eubranchus farrani completely white, without orange coloured spots. They present inflated cerata with a distribution of ten rows, five on each side of the body.
Where does it live?
They live at the eastern north Atlantic from Norway to the western Mediterranean.
How does it feed?
They feed on thecate hydroids such as Obelia geniculata or Aglaophenia pluma.
How do they reproduce?
All animals have both sexes (hermaphrodites). Usually they reproduce with another individual, sticking their needle-shaped penis through their couples skin. Rarely selfreproduction. They lay their eggs in a gelatinous spiral.
Is a confusion possible?
Confusion is possible with Eubranchus tricolor (Forbes, 1838), but this species is narrower, smaller and has fewer cerata.
Curiosities
· They have the ability to inflate their cerata
· Only after genetic analysis the different phenotypes have been described, closing the discussion of different species
Taxonomy
Order: Nudibranchia, Suborder: Aeolidina, Family: Eubranchidae
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