Alderia modesta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Alderia modesta | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Family: | Limapontiidae |
| Genus: | Alderia |
| Species: | A. modesta |
| Binomial name | |
| Alderia modesta | |
| Synonyms | |
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Alderia modesta is a species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Limapontiidae. It is found in estuarine habitats and saltmarshes on either side of the North Atlantic and the North Pacific Oceans.
Alderia. modesta grows to a length of about 10 mm (0.4 in) when fully expanded. The foot is broader than the body, and the sides and upper surface, apart for the front third, are covered with cerata (finger-like outgrowths). In young individuals these are organised in up to seven rows, but in adults, the rows are no longer apparent. The anus is set on a papilla on the upper surface near the rear. The integument is translucent, and the branching gut and digestive gland can be seen through the cerata and the surface of the foot. The cerata are involved in respiration and pulsate regularly; this helps move the blood around the body, there being no heart in this genus. The general colour of this sea slug is pale fawn, blotched with brown, green and white.[2][3]