Mariaglaja inornata

Order: CEPHALASPIDEA
Superfamily: PHILINOIDEA
Family: AGLAJIDAE
Genus: Mariaglaja
Species: Mariaglaja inornata

DISTRIBUTION

Common tropical western Pacific species from Japan to eastern Australia.
Before known as Chelidonura inornata

The shape of the body is typical for the genus with a pair of rounded lobes on either side of the head. The headshield tapers posteriorly to a rounded point, The posterior shield bifurcates posteriorly into a pair of lobes, the left one being longer than the right, both tapering to a pointed tip. The parapodia are relatively large, folding up to partially enclose the body. The general body colour is a purplish black, with minute white dots densely scattered over the outer surface of the parapodia and on the sole of the foot. The parapodia are also edged in white, sometimes with a continuous white line but often with a broken line. There is usually a broad white band across the front of the head-shield, and there is a yellow or orange edge to the antero-lateral lobes. The eyes are situated on the inside edge of the lateral lobes, in a translucent area devoid of black pigment. The patch often appears blue.