Atalodoris pusilla


Atalodoris pusilla is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Onchidorididae.

Description

The body is ovate and notably depressed. The cloak is a yellowish-white, thickly freckled with dark brown spots, and is covered with numerous conical papillae that are obtusely pointed at the top.
The tentacles are long, slender, pure white, and finely laminated. The branchial plumes, nine in number, are a beautiful white and are simply pinnate. They are arranged in an incomplete, somewhat distant circle around the vent and are retractile within separate cavities.
The head has a broad veil, and the foot is rather broad.

Distribution

This species was described from Tor Bay, Devon, England. It is currently known from the European coasts of the North Atlantic Ocean from Norway, south to the Atlantic coast of Spain.
This species was also described from Banyuls-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean Sea coast of France. It has been reported from the Bay of Naples, Italy and the Catalan coast of Spain at Cadaqués and some other location in the Costa Brava.

Diet

Atalodoris pusilla feeds on the bryozoans Escharella immersa, Microporella ciliata, Escharoides coccineus and Porella concinna.