Author: Gosliner & Fahey, 2008

Order: Nudibranchia  Family: Goniodorididae

Maximum Size: 11 mm

Sightings: Anilao, Philippines

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Trapania squama Gosliner & Fahey, 2008

A small nudibranch up to 11 mm in length. Slender, tubular, elongate body, rounded anteriorly, tapering posteriorly and without a defined notal margin. Possesses extra-rhinophoral and extra-branchial processes that are small and curved apically. Anteriorly the foot has well-developed, tentacular corners that are about half the size of the large oral tentacles. The body is pale apricot in colour that varies in intensity, within and between specimens. A large-spaced network of black lines on white, overlays the apricot colour forming irregular-shaped patches. Small white spots may appear within the black lines.

The large rhinophores are non-retractile (phanerobranch) with a slender stalk, bulbous perfoliate club that finishes apically in a small protrusion. Colour is translucent pale brown with opaque brown speckling and white blotches with white to the tip. Oral tentacles are relatively long, cylindrical, finishing bluntly and most often held out 90 degrees to the sides or at about 45 degrees anteriorly. Their colouring is pale brown with opaque white spotting, increasing and coalescing distally. Gills consist of three bipinnate branches that are translucent with opaque brown speckling and white spots. Extra-rhinophoral and extra-branchial processes are of equal size, quite small and translucent with opaque brown speckling and white spots. The tail, margins of the foot and propodial tentacles carry moderately-sized white spots.

Feeds on entoprocts, also known as kamptozoans (Phylum Entoprocta), that live in association with certain sponges.

The original description refers to the notal markings on this species as “scale-like” hence the specific epithet of squama, taken from the Latin for “scale”.

David A. Mullins – May 2025

References:
– Gosliner, T. M. & Fahey, S. J. (2008). Systematics of Trapania (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae) with descriptions of 16 new species. Systematics and Biodiversity 6 (1): 53–98.

– Rudman, W. B. (2008 March 10). Trapania squama Gosliner & Fahey,2008. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/trapsqua and associated messages.

– Gosliner, T. M., Valde ́s, A ́. & Behrens, D. W. (2018). Nudibranch & Sea Slug Identification – Indo-Pacific, 2nd Edition. New World Publications, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

– Behrens, D., image by Agarwal, R. (2023). Opisthobranch of the Week, Week: 1305. Mike Miller’s Slug Site. Available at: http://slugsite.us/bow2007/nudwk1305.htm