Info
Capellinia fustifera (Lovén, 1846)
The genus Capelinia is named after the Italian geologist and paleontologist Giovanni Capellini (1833-1922), who was a professor at the University of Bologna.
The species name "fustifera" is Latin and means club-shaped or club-bearing, which refers to the shape of the cerata.
This is a small slug whose adults only grow to about 15 mm in size. The body is translucent white, with scattered brown or green pigments on the back and cerata. The cerata have 2-3 rows of tubercles. The tip of the cerata is covered by a light spot and surrounded by a brown ring. The rhinophores and oral tentacles are smooth. The tips of these tentacles are white with a subterminal brown band.
The cerata may be completely covered with brown pigmentation, but in those cases where this is not the case, they have a brown or greenish band just below the tip. The tip of the cerata is always white. The digestive glands of the cerata are light brown.
The special thing about the species is that so far it only occurs in the hydrozoon Kirchenpaueria similis. The few discoveries that have been made come from deeper water by divers. Capellinia fustifera is well camouflaged on the hydrozoon it feeds on. This could also be the reason why it is so difficult to find.
Note: Capellinia fustifera was recently separated from Capellinia doriae, which is only found in the Mediterranean region. Capellinia doriae, or Eubranchus doriae, was previously used as the name for Capellinia fustifera in northern European waters.
Capellinien fustifera is sometimes confused with Eubranchus vittatus, but can be easily distinguished by the presence of tubercles on the cerata. The spawn also resembles Eubranchus vittatus.
Synonymised names
Tergipes fustifer Lovén, 1846 · unaccepted
The genus Capelinia is named after the Italian geologist and paleontologist Giovanni Capellini (1833-1922), who was a professor at the University of Bologna.
The species name "fustifera" is Latin and means club-shaped or club-bearing, which refers to the shape of the cerata.
This is a small slug whose adults only grow to about 15 mm in size. The body is translucent white, with scattered brown or green pigments on the back and cerata. The cerata have 2-3 rows of tubercles. The tip of the cerata is covered by a light spot and surrounded by a brown ring. The rhinophores and oral tentacles are smooth. The tips of these tentacles are white with a subterminal brown band.
The cerata may be completely covered with brown pigmentation, but in those cases where this is not the case, they have a brown or greenish band just below the tip. The tip of the cerata is always white. The digestive glands of the cerata are light brown.
The special thing about the species is that so far it only occurs in the hydrozoon Kirchenpaueria similis. The few discoveries that have been made come from deeper water by divers. Capellinia fustifera is well camouflaged on the hydrozoon it feeds on. This could also be the reason why it is so difficult to find.
Note: Capellinia fustifera was recently separated from Capellinia doriae, which is only found in the Mediterranean region. Capellinia doriae, or Eubranchus doriae, was previously used as the name for Capellinia fustifera in northern European waters.
Capellinien fustifera is sometimes confused with Eubranchus vittatus, but can be easily distinguished by the presence of tubercles on the cerata. The spawn also resembles Eubranchus vittatus.
Synonymised names
Tergipes fustifer Lovén, 1846 · unaccepted
