Verconia varians (Pease 1871)

Verconia varians is a species of colorful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.^[1]

Distribution

This marine species is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific from Indonesia to the Hawaiian islands.^[2]

Description

• Body: translucent coloration with a segmented white stripe on the midline, a white mantle margin, and a magenta submarginal line.
• Rhinophores: translucent base with orange tips
• Gills: translucent base with magenta tips

This species is one of several chromodorids that vibrate their gills. Up to 20 mm in length.

Ecology

References

• Pease, W.H. 1871. Descriptions of new nudibranchiate Mollusca inhabiting Polynesia. American Journal of Conchology 7: 11-20
• Marshall, J.G. & Willan, R.C. 1999. Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. Leiden : Backhuys 257 pp.

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