Author: Gosliner & Fahey, 2008

Order: Nudibranchia  Family: Goniodorididae

Maximum Size: 7 mm

Sightings: Bali, Indonesia

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Trapania tora Gosliner & Fahey, 2008

A small nudibranch at 6 to 7 mm in length. The body is elongate without a notal margin and the posterior end is formed into a long narrow and tapering tail. The anterior corners of the foot are formed into well-developed propodial tentacles. The notum bears raised, rounded tubercles of varying size and irregular distribution but mostly just anterior or posterior to the gill. The oral tentacles are large and cylindrical with blunt apices. The non-retractile rhinophores are large with long sturdy stalks, bulbous clubs bearing three to four “coarse” lamellae and a projecting tip. The extrarhinophoral and extrabranchial processes are long and tightly curved medially into a semicircle. The gills are comprised of three highly pinnate branches.

The body colour is white basally with an overlay of pale yellow pigment covering much of the white. There are distinctive patches of dark brown pigment arranged over the white to create a network of fine white lines within each patch. The brown patches commence anteriorly to the rhinophores and extend partially out onto the oral tentacles. Another patch commences posterior to the rhinophores and runs posteriorly and medially before becoming two lateral patches that run posteriorly to encircle the gill. This colouring arrangement also lies on the dorsal aspect of the foot. The distal half of the oral tentacles are cream to pale yellow. The propodial tentacles are white. The rhinophores and gill are translucent with white spots. The dorsal tubercles are yellow with white apices. The extrarhinophoral and extrabranchial processes are white with a dorsal yellow band along the length.

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

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 tora Gosliner & Fahey, 2008. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/traptora 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.