Philinopsis depicta
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| Philinopsis depicta | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Cephalaspidea |
| Family: | Aglajidae |
| Genus: | Philinopsis |
| Species: | P. depicta |
| Binomial name | |
| Philinopsis depicta (Renier, 1807)[1] | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Philinopsis depicta is a species of sea slug, an opisthobranch gastropod mollusc in the family Aglajidae. It is native to the Mediterranean Sea where it lives on the sandy seabed in shallow water. It is a predator. [2]
Philinopsis depicta is a large sea slug that can reach a length of 10 cm (4 in). The head is protected by a large cephalic shield which extends as far as the central body where it forms a noticeable pointed protrusion. A pair of parapodia extend from the foot and reach as high as the back. The small, flattened shell is obscured by the posterior shield which terminates with two small, sometimes raised, lobes. The colouring is somewhat variable, either pale brown with white specks, or a deeper brown or blackish shade, often flecked with small white specks which coalesce to form small patches. Nearly all individuals have a continuous double line of colour, orange and blue, which edges the cephalic shield, the parapodia, the posterior shield and the tip of the mantle.[3] Other species of sea slug with which it could be confused include Aglaja tricolorata and Melanochlamys wildpretii; the former is tan with more-regularly arranged white spots, no cephalic shield peak and no orange and blue lines round the body; the latter has a more uniform orange-brown colour, no cephalic shield peak, and a slender white line that outlines the parapodia and crosses the mid-back.[3][4]