Aegires villosus

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: EUCTENIDIACEA
Infraorder: DORIDACEA
Superfamily: POLYCEROIDEA
Family: AEGERIDAE
Genus : Aegires
Species : Aegires villosus

DISTRIBUTION

Widespread Indo-West Pacific species

The species of the genus Aegires are all small, and feed on calcareous sponges. The purple tipped papillae make this species easily recognisable. Note that in juveniles the papillae are proportionally much longer than in adults.

Typical of this group it has a relatively hard, rigid body, covered with slender, round tipped papillae, which are recognized by the species name “villosus”
The smooth, simple rhinophores are always orange with a crimson tip, as are the extra-branchial appendages that surround the white gill.

Usually less that 2 cm in length.