Pteraeolidia ianthina

Blue dragon | Blue Dragon Nudibranch
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina, NSW, Australia, Photo: Tom Davis
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina, NSW, Australia, Photo: Tom Davis
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina, NSW, Australia, Photo: Tom Davis
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina, Narooma, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina, Sydney, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina, Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Photo: Andrew Green
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina, North WA, Australia, Photo: Andrew Green
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina, QLD, Australia, Photo: Tom Davs
1 / 8
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina
Pteraeolidia ianthina

Distribution

Temperate Australasia, Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Large nudibranch, easily recognised by the elongate body shape and fans of long cerata down the back. The rhinophores have purple tips and the oral tentacles have two purple bands. When feeding on soft corals, it does not digest the photosynthetic cells (zooxanthellae) embedded in the soft coral tissue, but uses it o harness solar energy and dependant upon the amount of Zooxanthellae of the the animal has in its digestive glands the body colour will range from white to brown. . Similar species Pteraeolidia semperi found in Tropical Indo Pacific has more bands on the oral tentacles and has been removed as a synonym of P. ianthina following DNA testing. This is the only nudibranch known with adults that remain beside and protect its eggmass.


Information

Max Size: 15 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 14.1-25.2°C

Depth: 0-27m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Infrequent (6.8% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (2 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney