Flabellina trilineata
(O'Donoghue, 1921)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Flabellinidae

DISTRIBUTION

Baja California, Mexico to Alaska (Behrens, 1991).

PHOTO

Juveniles (10-12mm long)feeding on hydroids at Isthmus Reef, Catalina Island, California, USA. Photos: Bruce Wight.

Flabellina trilineata is a seasonally abundant aeolid ranging from Baja California, Mexico to Alaska (Behrens, 1991). It feeds on hydroid polyps, especially those of Tubularia spp. and Eudendrium californicum. Grows to about 35mm.

Distinguished by, and gets its name from, the three white lines down its body. The median line divides on the head to send a branch along each oral tentacle. However Bruce Wight's photos here suggest that sometimes the white lines are absent.

See Bruce Wight's message on colour variation and eggs.
See Jeff Goddard's message on general biology, amphipod crustacean mimic, references.
See Bruce Wight's message on juvenile & adult form.

Reference:
• O'Donaghue, C.H. (1921). Nudibranchiate mollusca from the Vancouver Island region. Transactions of the Royal Canadian Institute, Toronto, 13(1): 147-209

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (June 22) Flabellina trilineata (O'Donoghue, 1921). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/flabtril

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