Limapontia senestra

(de Quatrefages, 1844)

Description:
The slug-like body may reach 6 mm in length, marbled olive-brown to black with paler extremities (metapodium and tentacles). In the variety corrugate Alder & Hancock, the dorsum is slightly wrinkled. In adult form, this is the easiest species of Limapontia to recognise at sight, because the head bears a pair of finger-like tentacles, absent in both Limapontia capitata and Limapontia depressa . Juveniles less than 2 mm in body length may lack any trace of these, however. The anal and renal openings are situated in the midline, about one third of the length of the body from the posterior tip.

Habitat:
This species is found, often in company with Limapontia capitata , in fully saline coralline rock pools on clean sea shores. Uniquely in the Fleet, Dorset, it is commonly found on Enteromorpha in water of reduced salinity (down to 20 รค or lower), but in its more usual habitat it feeds upon finely filamentous species of Cladophora .

Distribution:
Distribution from Norway to the French Atlantic coast (Distr. L. senestra).

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