Thuridilla picta is a species belonging to the Sacoglossa superorder and within this to the Plakobranchidae family. It is a very abundant species in the waters of the Caribbean Sea, although specimens have also been reported in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Cape Verde and Madeira. This species has a preference for sandy bottoms and with a high presence of algae (especially filamentous), generally found in shallow waters up to 15 meters.
Thuridilla picta is a small species, with a maximum described size of 1.2 cm. Two large rhinophores on the front part of the body, formed by folds on the edge of the body, stand out from its body. The base of the rhinophores is yellowish with a thin upper edge in electric blue. Above is a black ring and finally the upper third of the rhinophores is reddish-orange with small bluish / whitish spots at the ends. The rest of the body is predominantly black. The edges of the body, called parapodia, are in Thuridilla picta always collected towards the central part of the body, forming undulations that protect the body of the specimen. The parapodia are very colorful in this species, with very vivid and bright colors. For example, the outer edges of the parapodia have a bright red/orange colored line, which at repetitive intervals slightly extends into the parapodium forming a ‘tongue’ towards the inside of the parapodium. Between the different reddish ‘tongues’, there are yellowish spots of a more or less square shape with a thin upper border in electric blue. More towards the area where the parapodia join the body of the specimen, we find several more or less circular spots of varying sizes that are yellow.
Although the above described is the coloration considered for the species Thuridilla picta, the pattern can be quite variable, with changes especially in the colors, with the yellow being a creamy whitish color.
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