Tethydidae Rafinesque 1815

Indo-Pacific, Shot at dusk, Duration 49 seconds

Melibe leonina, Lion nudibranchPhotograph taken at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA June 26, 2014

Figure 2.Two views of the holotype of Melibe arianeae sp. n. (LACM 3258). A. Dorsolateral view showing the right side of the animal. B. Dorsal view showing the oral hood border through the semi-transparent skin.

Indo-Pacific, Shot at dusk, Duration 65 seconds

Figure 3.A Reproductive system of the paratype of Melibe arianeae sp. n. (LACM 3259) B Anterior portion of the digestive system of the holotype of Melibe arianeae sp. n. (LACM 3258). Scale bars = 1mm. Abbreviations: am, ampulla; bb, buccal bulb; bc, bursa copulatrix; bg, buccal ganglion; cg, cerebral ganglion; dd, deferent duct; fg, female gland complex; pe, penis; plg, pleural ganglion; pg, pedal ganglion; pr, prostate; sg, salivary gland; st, stomach.

Indo-Pacific, Shot at dusk, Duration 22 seconds

Figure 4.Scanning electron micrograph of the dissected stomach of the paratype of Melibe arianeae sp. n. (LACM 3259) showing the stomach plates. Scale bar = 500 µm.

Indo-Pacific, Shot at dusk, Duration 29 seconds

Indo-Pacific, Shot at dusk, Duration 30 seconds

Melibe leonina swimming near surface, about 3 m from the bottom, in a harbor. Length about 8 cm Click the photo for a short video of this individual swimming

This is a top left view of a swimming individual, who has been swimming away but is making a strong turn to the left. The head and oral hood are visible to the right. The flaplike extensions of the oral hood are the rhinophores. The large dorsal cerata with an internal network of vessels (hepatic diverticula?) are visible at the top and right. The foot is facing down and away from view. The oral hood is closed in this view.

In this nearly head-on view the open oral hood with its filiform tentacles can be seen.

Melibe leonina about 10 cm long. Collected from eelgrass at Padilla Bay. The head and oral hood is to the right. Some of the tentacles from the opening in the oral hood can be seen. (Photo by: Dave Cowles July 2006)

These nudibranchs swarm onto the kelp beds off Del Monte Beach, lay egg masses, and then, inexplicably, swim off destination unknown. The large oral hood sweeps about entrapping plankton.