Okenia zoobotryon (Smallwood, 1910)

Gutiérrez, Manuel Caballer, Ortea, Jesús, Rivero, Nelsy, Tucker, Gabriela Carias, Malaquias, Manuel António E. & Narciso, Samuel, 2015, The opisthobranch gastropods (Mollusca: Heterobranchia) from Venezuela: an annotated and illustrated inventory of species, Zootaxa 4034 (2), pp. 201-256 : 227-228

77. Okenia zoobotryon (Smallwood, 1910)

( Figure 5 Q)

Material examined. FCM, 1 spc., H = 9 mm, JOC. PTH, 1 spc., H = 5 mm, MCC. TA, 2 spcs, H = 8–10 mm, IVICCM000006. AR, 2 spcs, H = 8-9 mm, GCC. AR, 1 spc., PNC.

Ecology. On mangrove roots or submerged wood posts near surface, associated with the bryozoans Zoobotryon spp. The spawn is a coiled translucent cord with 8–10 white eggs inside.

Distribution. Bermuda, Cuba, Mexico, Belice, Bahamas, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, USA, Venezuela (La Restinga, Margarita: Grune et al. 2015).

Remarks. An illustration of O. zoobotryon can be seen in Valdés et al. (2006) as Okenia sp. 2, while the species named as O. zoobotryon is B. polycerelloides (Ortea et al. 2009) . Pola (2014) designated a neotype from the type locality, discussed the distribution of the species, and included B. polycerelloides in the list of synonymies of O. zoobotryon without further discussion. The occurrence of this species in Venezuela constitutes the southern geographical limit.

Figures

FIGURE 5. A, Dondice occidentalis. B, Godiva rubrolineata. C, Favorinus auritulus. D, Phidiana lynceus. E, Spurilla sargassicola. F, Eubranchus conicla. G, Scyllaea pelagica. H, Doto casandra. I, Chelidonura cubana. J, Aplysia parvula. K, Syphonota geographica. L, Pleurobranchus areolatus. M, Elysia papillosa. N, Thuridilla malaquita. Ο-P, Placida cremoniana. Q, Okenia zoobotryon. I-Q, Sea s 1 ugs in their natura 1 envirοnment (Gaby Carias).