Aegires punctilucens (Orbigny, 1837)

Aegires punctilucens

Description: This animal is usually 10-20mm in length. It is very inconspicuous, brown (rarely white) in colour, but can be easily identified by the many knob-shaped tubercles and the tiny iridescent blue spots scattered over the back of the animal. The oral tentacles are short and rounded and the rhinophores are smooth. The rhinophores emerge from sheaths with large papillae at their edges.

Habitat: A. punctilucens is well camouflaged amongst its food, the calcareous sponge Leucosolenia botryoides, and may be hidden inside a clump of the sponge.

Distribution: Occurs all around the British Isles and south to the Mediterranean.

Key Identification Features:

• Iridescent blue spots on the mantle.
• Knob-shaped mantle tubercles.
• Smooth rhinophores, unusual for a dorid.

Distribution Map: NBN map : National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

WoRMS: Species record : World Register of Marine Species.

iNaturalist: Species account : iNaturalist World Species Observations database