Tambja morosa, also known as Tambja kushimotoensis or gloomy nudibranch,Hoover, John P.,"Hawai'i's Sea Creatures". Mutual Publishing, 1998, p. 176. is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the subfamily Nembrothinae within the family Polyceridae.Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (Ed.); Frýda J., Hausdorf B., Ponder W., Valdes A. & Warén A. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia: International Journal of Malacology, 47(1-2). ConchBooks: Hackenheim, Germany. . ISSN 0076-2997. 397 pp. https://www.vliz.be/Vmdcdata/imis2/ref.php?refid=78278
This species is instead sometimes placed in the family Gymnodorididae.Gary R. McDonald, "Nudibranch Systematic Index" (July 29, 2006). Institute of Marine Sciences. Paper Nudibranch_Systematic_Index.
Distribution The distribution of this species is primarily Indo-Pacific. It is found in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Australia, French Polynesia, Fiji and Hawaii.
Description This large species of Tambja grows to approximately 70–75 mm in length. This species is normally black with blue markings, although dark green specimens are found in the cooler waters of New South Wales and northern New Zealand. The skin of this slug is wrinkled, and it appears nearly black underwater. It has approximately five round, blue spots on its back, a blue band around its head, and a bright blue margin.
Diet Tambja morosa feeds on arborescent bryozoan colonies.
References
Pola M., Cervera J.L. & Gosliner T.M. (2006) Taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of the genus Tambja Burn, 1962 (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Polyceridae). Zoologica Scripta 35(5):491-530.
Further reading Baba, K. (1987) Two new green colored species of Tambja from Japan (Nudibranchia: Polyceridae). Venus, The Japanese Journal of Malacology, 46(1): 13-18. Marshall, J.G. & Willan, R.C. (1999) Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef.
External links
Image of Tambja morosa Images of Tambja morosa Tambja morosa at Sea Slugs of Hawaii