Triopha modesta
Sea clown
Same Genus
Distribution
Description
Trans-Pacific species found along the coast of British Columbia and south to California, as well as in Japan and Korea. Recently distinguished from T. catalinae which is strictly eastern Pacific in range. T. modesta exhibits characteristic small branching dorsal tubercles, and two rows of arborescent tubercles on the dorso-lateral appendages in larger individuals. Rhinophores and gill tips are lighter in colour than the dorsal tubercles, unlike T. catalinae which exhibits darker rhinophores and gill tips, as well as unbranched tubercles and appendages. Both species have orange appendages, tubercles, and rhinophores, with body colour ranging from translucent to yellowish white in T. modesta.
Information
Max Size: N/A cm
Sea Temperature Range: N/A
Depth: N/A
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: Critically Endangered
Occurrence: Common (40.6% 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: Solitary (1 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: Jo Schmid