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In this dive we met one of the many nudibranchs (sea snails) that populate our sea, Peltodoris atromaculata – Dotted sea slug very similar to the Jorunna funebris (Dotted nudibranch), also called Sea cow or Leopard snail.
Peltodoris atromaculata – Dotted sea slug – Nudibranchi – Vacchetta di mare – intotheblue.it
It is a fairly widespread species in the depths of the Mediterranean Sea but difficult to see despite its white color surrounded by black, brown or yellow spots therefore very visible, since it prefers darkness to light, and therefore often lives in caves and ravines. . These obvious colors are a signal for predators or “I’m here but don’t eat me I’m poisonous“.
Peltodoris atromaculata – Dotted sea slug – Nudibranchi – Vacchetta di mare – intotheblue.it
We are on a rocky coralligenous seabed around 48 meters deep and together with the Peltodoris atromaculata we have met other species that use color such as lobsters and the Red scorpionfish Scorphaena scrofa, which have given us these splendid images, unfortunately we cannot say the same thing. of the now increasingly common lines and ghost nets that even unwilling we are forced to film and document.
Peltodoris atromaculata – intotheblue.it – lenze e reti fantasma – lines and ghost nets
Sea cow Peltodoris atromaculata Bergh, 1880 is a nudibranch mollusk of the Discodorididae family.
Description
White body, with unmistakable reddish-brown spots, more or less abundant depending on the diet. Retractable rhinophores, of the same color as the body, branchial tuft also retractable, yellowish or whitish. Back rough to the touch. Up to 15 centimeters.
Distribution and habitat
The species is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea; it lives on rocky walls even at shallow depths.
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peltodoris_atromaculata
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peltodoris_atromaculata
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