1982/02/01 by W. B. RUDMAN · 3 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Marine Biology and Ecology Research #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Marine and fisheries research
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1982.tb01146.x
openalex publication_date 1982/02/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2025/11/06
The occurrence of symbiotic zooxanthellae in further aeolid and arminacean nudibranch molluscs is described for the first time. The aeolid Aeolidiopsis ransoni Pruvot-Fol is redescribed, and a new species of Aeolidiopsis, also feeding on the colonial zoantharian Palythoa, is described. Both have symbiotic zooxanthellae. The taxonomy of the family Aeolidiidae is discussed and the genus Berghia Trinchese, 1877 is considered a synonym of Spurilla Bergh, 1864. Spurilla major (Eliot, 1903) and a new species of Spurilla are reported to have zooxanthellae while another new species of Spurilla is without zooxanthellae. The glaucid aeolid Pteraeolidia ianthina (Angas) is shown to have symbiotic zooxanthellae, as is the arminacean Doridomorpha gardineri Eliot, which is reported to feed on the alcyonarian blue coral, Heliopora. In all cases, the morphological adaptations developed for this symbiosis are described. Further notes on the Porites-feeding arminacean Pinufius rebus Marcus & Marcus and the aeolid Phestilla lugubris (Bergh) are included and a facultative symbiosis with zooxanthellae is suggested for the latter. The evolution of symbiosis with zooxanthellae within nudibranchs is discussed and it is suggested that the relationship has evolved independently on several occasions.