Polycera hedgpethi, common name Hedgpeth's dorid, is a species of nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae.Rosenberg, G.; Gofas, S. (2011). Polycera hedgpethi Er. Marcus, 1964. In: MolluscaBase (2017). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2017-11-19 It is a widely distributed species of unknown origin, but considered invasive in many parts of its range.
Distribution Polycera hedgpethi is widely distributed in temperate and subtropical waters worldwide, but it remains a cryptogenic species with an uncertain native range.Wells, F.E. & Bryce, C.W. 1993. Sea Slugs of Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 184 pp.
Polycera hedgpethi was first described from California, USA, and it occurs commonly in the northeast Pacific, including in Mexico and Panama.Rudman, W.B., 1999 (July 22) Polycera hedgpethi Marcus, 1964. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. It is also widely distributed in Australia, with an expanding range along the east coast. Polycera hedgpethi also occurs in Costa Rica, New Zealand, Morocco, Angola, South Africa, Japan, South Korea, and northern Spain, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea.Caballer, M. & Ortea, J. (2002) Primera cita de Polycera hedgpethi Marcus, 1964 (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia) para la Península Ibérica. Noticiario SEM, 37: 55-56.Rudman, W.B., 1999 (July 22) Polycera hedgpethi Marcus, 1964. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. It is considered invasive in Oceania, Africa, and the Mediterranean
In both hemispheres P. hedgpethi occupies a latitudinal range of approximately 7-45˚, likely restricted primarily by sea temperatures. It is often associated with ports and other anthropogenic structures, and is believed to have been transported around the world via vessel biofouling. The distribution of P. hedgpethi is still expanding, with its dispersal seemingly driven by human transport and facilitated by climate change.
Ecology Polycera hedgpethi feeds primarily on the bryozoans Bugula neritina, which is also a widely distributed invasive. Despite its expanding range and invasive status, P. hedgpethi is generally considered to be a benign invader, having no negative ecological impacts on recipient ecosystems.
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