Striped Sea Slug (Armina tigrina) |
|
 |
|
| Description There is only a single common species of Armina in this area. It is a smooth, flattened, elongated oval that is sometimes mistaken for a flatworm. It has no dorsal processes other than a pair of small lamellate rhinophores. The gills are located under the overhang of the back and are not visible from above. The animal grows to about 1.5 inches. It is distinctively marked with longitudinal black and white stripes. It lives in silty sand on protected beaches and feeds exclusively on sea pansies. It may become bioluminescent from ingestion of the green fluorescent protein found in the sea pansy. |
|
| Complete
classification tree Family = Arminidae Superfamily = Euarminiacea Suborder = Arminoidea Order = Nudibranchea Subclass = Opisthobranchia Class = Gastropoda Phylum = Mollusca |
|
| Recognition
characteristics - Smooth, flattened, elongated oval up to 1.5 inches long - Longitudinal black and white stripes - Found feeding on sea pansy |
|
| Local
habitat In Summer Haven river and at the Matanzas Inlet. |
|
| Collection
method Collect by hand or trawl, at the same time as sea pansies are collected. |
|
| Links
and references The habits and occurrence of the nudibranch Armina tigrina in South East United States. R. T. Abbott, THE NAUTILUS, Vol. 67, No. 3 (February 18, 1954), 83–86 . Morphology, anatomy and histology of four species of Armina Rafinesque, 1814 (Nudibranchia, Arminoidea, Arminidae) from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Kolb, A., Journal of Molluscan Studies, Vol 64, (1998), 249-280. Abstract: Three Mediterranean arminids (Armina neapolitana (Delle Chiaje, 1824); Armina tigrina Rafinesque, 1814 and Armina maculata Rafinesque, 1814) and one Atlantic species (Armina loveni (Bergh, 1860)) were examined morphologically, anatomically and histologically. Detailed descriptions of all organ systems are given. Marginal sacs are described for all four species. All four species are very similar in their morphology, anatomy and histology. Differences are apparent in the colour and structure of the notum, in the shape of the radula teeth, in the structure of the digestive gland and in the anterior genital complex. The data gathered in the examinations are compared to existing literature. Additionally, the four species are compared to other species of Armina. Since the existing data about these are sparse, the comparison is rather incomplete. For a better understanding of the genus more information, especially about the anatomy needs to be gathered. Ruppert, Edward and Fox, Richard. Seashore Animals of the Southeast. University of South Carolina Press, 1988. Observations on the growth, reproduction, and feeding of the nudibranch Armina tigrina. Eyster, L.S., J. Moll. Stud. Vol. 47, (1981)171-181. http://www.medslugs.de/E/Med/Armina_tigrina.htm http://www.ugr.es/~lstocino/armina_tigrina.htm http://www.gol.grosseto.it/puam/comgr/acquario/armina_tigrina.htm |
|
Contact us:
The
Whitney Laboratory
9505 Ocean Shore Blvd.
St. Augustine, FL 32080
904-461-4000
Fax: 904-461-4052
Email
us
Peter
A. V. Anderson
Director
Member of
