BIOTIC Species Information for Tenellia adspersa
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| Researched by | Nicola White | Data supplied by | MarLIN | ||||||||||||
| Refereed by | Dr Richard S.K. Barnes | ||||||||||||||
| Taxonomy | |||||||||||||||
| Scientific name | Tenellia adspersa | Common name | Lagoon sea slug | ||||||||||||
| MCS Code | W1443 | Recent Synonyms | Tenellia pallida, Embletonia pallida | ||||||||||||
| Phylum | Mollusca | Subphylum | |||||||||||||
| Superclass | Class | Gastropoda | |||||||||||||
| Subclass | Opisthobranchia | Order | Nudibranchia | ||||||||||||
| Suborder | Family | Tergipedidae | |||||||||||||
| Genus | Tenellia | Species | adspersa | ||||||||||||
| Subspecies | |||||||||||||||
| Additional Information | No text entered | ||||||||||||||
| Taxonomy References | Howson & Picton, 1997, Picton & Morrow, 1994, | ||||||||||||||
| General Biology | |||||||||||||||
| Growth form | Lanceolate |
Feeding method | Predator |
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| Mobility/Movement | Crawler |
Environmental position | Epifaunal |
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| Typical food types | Hydroids, especially %Cordylophora caspia%, Laomeda spp. and %Protohydra leuckarti% | Habit | Free living | ||||||||||||
| Bioturbator | Not relevant | Flexibility | High (>45 degrees) | ||||||||||||
| Fragility | Intermediate | Size | Very small(<1cm) | ||||||||||||
| Height | Insufficient information | Growth Rate | Insufficient information | ||||||||||||
| Adult dispersal potential | Not researched | Dependency | Independent | ||||||||||||
| Sociability | Solitary | ||||||||||||||
| Toxic/Poisonous? | No | ||||||||||||||
| General Biology Additional Information | Tenellia adspersa can rapidly devour hydroid colonies, exhausting its own food supply. It has been suggested that the developmental plasticity and rapid growth of this species enables it to disperse to new locations to find new food. | ||||||||||||||
| Biology References | Antsulevich & Starobogatov, 1991, | ||||||||||||||
| Distribution and Habitat | |||||||||||||||
| Distribution in Britain & Ireland | The few British records are from the Bristol Channel and the Fleet in Dorset. | ||||||||||||||
| Global distribution | Recorded from the eastern and western North Atlantic, Baltic, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Azov Sea, Caspian Sea, Japan, Pacific coast of USA, Brazil | ||||||||||||||
| Biogeographic range | Not researched | Depth range | 1 to 34 m | ||||||||||||
| Migratory | Non-migratory / Resident | ||||||||||||||
| Distribution Additional Information | Recorded at depths from 1 to 34 m. The species has been observed to survive and breed in salinities from 50 psu to 5.3 psu. The ranges and ecological features of the nudibranch are very similar to the hydroid Cordylophora caspia and they co-exist everywhere, which suggests some connection. The wide geographic distribution of Tenellia adspersa is probably due to passive transportation of adults and egg masses by Cordylophora colonies on ships. | ||||||||||||||
| Substratum preferences | Seagrass Artificial (e.g. metal/wood/concrete) Algae Small boulders Pebbles Cobbles |
Physiographic preferences | Estuary Isolated saline water (Lagoon) Enclosed coast / Embayment |
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| Biological zone | Lower Eulittoral Sublittoral Fringe Upper Infralittoral |
Wave exposure | Sheltered Very Sheltered |
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| Tidal stream strength/Water flow | Strong (3-6 kn) Moderately Strong (1-3 kn) Weak (<1 kn) |
Salinity | Variable (18-40 psu) Low (<18 psu) |
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| Habitat Preferences Additional Information | |||||||||||||||
| Distribution References | Picton & Morrow, 1994, Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Antsulevich & Starobogatov, 1991, Anonymous, 1999(s), | ||||||||||||||
| Reproduction/Life History | |||||||||||||||
| Reproductive type | Gonochoristic |
Developmental mechanism | Lecithotrophic Direct Development |
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| Reproductive Season | Insufficient information | Reproductive Location | Insufficient information | ||||||||||||
| Reproductive frequency | Annual protracted | Regeneration potential | No | ||||||||||||
| Life span | <1 year | Age at reproductive maturity | <1 year | ||||||||||||
| Generation time | <1 year | Fecundity | 25 to 50 eggs per spawn | ||||||||||||
| Egg/propagule size | Insufficient information | Fertilization type | Insufficient information | ||||||||||||
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| Reproduction Preferences Additional Information | Tenellia adspersa has a subannual lifecycle with a short generation time of as little as 20 days when reared at 20 degrees C and 30 ppt on the hydroid Cordylophora lacustris. The animals may spawn 3 to 5 times a day with 25 to 50 eggs per spawn (Chester, 1996). The spawn consists of a short, curved, lozenge-shaped mass. The period from spawning to hatching lasts 4-5 days. The method of development varies with the environmental conditions. Metamorphosis normally takes place within the egg capsule, hatching as a juvenile. In animals that have been starved a switch to pelagic non-feeding or planktotrophic development has been observed. | ||||||||||||||
| Reproduction References | Chester, 1996, | ||||||||||||||
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