Author: Pola, Miguel-Gonzalez & Paz-Sedano, 2023

Order: Nudibranchia  Family: Polyceridae

Maximum Size: 14 mm

Sightings: Sunshine Coast

______________________________________________________________

Polycera nimbsi Pola, Miguel-Gonzalez & Paz-Sedano, 2023

Limaciform body shape with numerous small to medium conical pointed tubercles distributed over the body. The notal margin presents as a low ridge, widening anteriorly, bearing tubercles larger than those on the body proper. The widening of the notal margin around the head forms an oral veil bearing 4 to 6 longish velar processes. The rhinophores are relatively large in proportion to the size of the animal and lack sheaths. They are perfoliate with up to 9 lamellae ending in distinctly pointed and smooth, black tips. The non-retractile gill forms a semicircle around the anus, usually held erect and having 5 – 6 bipinnate branches, the central-most being the longest.

Molecular sequencing has revealed that this species presents as different colour morphs – two described and with a third probable. Our specimens from the Sunshine Coast more closely match the third probable (see Nimbs, 2017) colour morph, recorded from Solitary Islands, NSW, where the body is predominately of an olive- green colour (sometimes darker to brownish) with numerous white-pigmented spots on the notum.

Spawn is laid as a white spiral ribbon on edge.

Some of the specimens appear to be feeding upon encrusting colonial bryozoans.

The specific epithet honours Matt Nimbs a molecular biologist and invertebrate taxonomist based in NSW, Australia.

Previously listed on this site as Polycera sp. 01. Change effected: 08/11/2023

David A. Mullins – November 2023

References:
– Nimbs, M. (2017) Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/128938954@N03/31440861523/in/ photostream/

– Pola, M., Miguel-Gonzalez, M. & Paz-Sedano, S. (2023). New contributions to the subfamily Polycerinae (Nudibranchia, Polyceridae): description of three new species and one new genus. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 103, e76, 1–18. Published online by Cambridge University Press – doi.org/10.1017/ S0025315423000607