Pleurobranchus is a genus of sea slugs, specifically side-gill slugs, marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pleurobranchidae.

They typically occur in intertidal and shallow subtidal waters of tropical and subtropical seas worldwide.

Species As of November 2021, the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) recognizes following species as valid: Pleurobranchus albiguttatus (Bergh, 1905) Pleurobranchus areolatus Mörch, 1863 – Atlantic sidegill slug Pleurobranchus crossei Vayssière, 1897 Pleurobranchus digueti Rochebrune, 1895 Pleurobranchus evelinae T. E. Thompson, 1977 Pleurobranchus forskalii Rüppell & Leuckart, 1828 Pleurobranchus grandis Pease, 1868Pease W. H. (1868). "Descriptions of marine Gasteropodae, inhabiting Polynesia". American Journal of Conchology 4(2): 71–80, Pls. 7–10. Pleurobranchus hilli (Hedley, 1894) Pleurobranchus iouspi Ev. Marcus, 1984 Pleurobranchus lacteus Dall & Simpson, 1901 Pleurobranchus mamillatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1832 Pleurobranchus membranaceus (Montagu, 1816) Pleurobranchus nigropunctatus (Bergh, 1907) Pleurobranchus niveus (A. E. Verrill, 1901) Pleurobranchus obeses K. M. White, 1946 Pleurobranchus peronii Cuvier, 1804 Pleurobranchus reticulatus Rang, 1832 Pleurobranchus semperi (Vayssière, 1896) Pleurobranchus sishaensis (Zhang & Lin, 1965) Pleurobranchus testudinarius Cantraine, 1835 Pleurobranchus varians Pease, 1860 Pleurobranchus weberi (Bergh, 1905)

Goodheart et al. (2015) recognized 14 valid species, while Alvim & Pimenta (2016)Alvim J. & Pimenta A.D. (2016). Comparative morphology and redescription of Pleurobranchus species (Gastropoda, Pleurobranchoidea) from Brazil. Zoological Studies. 55: 15. recognized one other species.

References

Bergh, L. S. R. 1897–1902. System der Nudibranchiaten Gasteropoden. Malacologische Untersuchungen. In: Reisen im Archipel der Philippinen von Dr. Carl Gottfried Semper. Zweiter Theil. Wissenschaftliche Resultate. Band 7, Theil 5.

Further reading

Howson, C.M.; Picton, B.E. (Ed.) (1997). The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas. Ulster Museum Publication, 276. The Ulster Museum: Belfast, UK. . vi, 508 (+ cd-rom) pp.