Description of a new species of Marionia (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia: Tritoniidae) from the Gulf of Guinea (eastern Atlantic Ocean)

Abstract

A new species of dendronotid nudibranch, Marionia abrahamorum sp. nov., is described here. This species was found on Principe Island (Gulf of Guinea, eastern Atlantic Ocean), and its description is based on its morphological characteristics as well as molecular data from two mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA) markers and one nuclear (histone-3) marker. This species differs from all known Tritoniidae in terms of its size, color pattern, notum pattern, number of velar processes, number of gills, presence of stomach plates, and radular formula. The phylogenetic results support the results of the morphological analysis, confirming its placement within the genus Marionia.