CLASSIFICATION OF AEOLIS (SEA SLUG)
KINGDOM :- ANIMALIA (Multicellular eukaryotic organisms)
PHYLUM :- MOLLUSCA (Unsegmented bilaterally symmetrical and provided with visceral mass, foot and mantle.)
CLASS :- GASTROPODA (Head bearing tentacles, eyes and radula; visceral hump and shell coiled due to torsion.)
SUB-CLASS :- EUTHYNEURA (Nerve loop not twisted in figure of 8.)
ORDER :- OPISTHOBRANCHIA (Gastropods with detorsion; gills posterior of heart; shell reduced or lacking)
SUB-ORDER :- NUDIBRANCHIA (Adults naked without mantle and shell.)
GENUS :- Aeolis
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
It is found in Europe, U.S.A. and Rhodes Island or Arctic ocean.
HABIT AND HABITAT
Aeolis is a slug-like, marine gastropod, living among seaweeds and under stones between tide lines.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF AEOLIS (SEA SLUG)
- Commonly called as sea slug measuring 5 cm.
- Body is elongated, shell-less, broad, elongated, depressed, tapering behind, gray or orange coloured with brown or white spots.
- Head comprises of 2 pairs of cylindrical non-retractile oral tentacles and a pair of sessile eye spot.
- The anterior pair of tentacles is called as cephalic tentacles, while posterior pair is designated as rhinophores.
- Anus is seen in mid dorsal position.
- True ctenidia are replaced by several secondary cylindrical branchiae or cerata, which are distributed over dorsal surface in 15 to 20 slanting rows.
- Dorsal surface has eyespots, anus and the ventral surface contains foot.
- Hermaphroditic protandrous form.
SPECIAL FEATURES
It feeds on sea anemones, whose nematocysts are stored in the cerata and discharged on irritation. This is a unique example of an animal using in defence of the offensive organs of another.
IDENTIFICATION
The animal contains contains cerata and all above features, hence it is Aeolis.
