Berthella ornata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Berthella ornata |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
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| Superfamily: |
Pleurobranchoidea
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| Family: |
Pleurobranchidae
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| Genus: |
Berthella
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| Species: |
B. ornata
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| Binomial name | |
| Berthella ornata (Cheeseman, 1878)
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| Synonyms | |
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Pleurobranchus ornatus Cheeseman, 1878; Suter 1913 Bouvieria ornata Morton & Miller, 1968; Powell, 1979 |
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Berthella ornata is a fascinating type of sea slug. It's a mollusk that lives in the ocean. People sometimes call it the Ornate side-gilled sea slug. It belongs to a group of animals called gastropods, which also includes snails.
About This Sea Slug
This sea slug is quite special. It can grow up to 70 millimeters (about 2.7 inches) long. Its back, called the dorsal surface, has reddish or brownish spots. These spots are on top of a background color that can be white, dark red, or brown.
Underneath its smooth outer layer, called the mantle, there's a hidden shell. This shell can be up to 20 millimeters (about 0.8 inches) in size. The edge of its mantle, its foot, and its gill are all white. The sea slug also has two sensory organs called rhinophores. These are brown with white tips.
B. ornata moves slowly. It likes to eat sponges, usually at night. If something bothers it, this sea slug might release a milky fluid. During the day, it often hides under rocks and stones. It pulls its head and rhinophores back under its mantle to stay safe.
Where It Lives
This sea slug is endemic to New Zealand. This means it is only found naturally in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world. However, it is becoming less common there. You can find it in shallow waters, from the low tide line down to about 6 meters (nearly 20 feet) deep.
