Physical Description
The Black Dorid, Polycera atra, showcases a gray-white body adorned with longitudinal black stripes. Its lighter portion features yellow-orange dots, while its rhinophores and gills are predominantly black with orange tips. The dorsolateral ridge boasts around half a dozen orange tubercles from each rhinophore to the gills. The frontal veil exhibits 4-8 processes, varying in yellow-orange coloration.
Habitat and Geographical Range
Commonly found along the eastern Pacific coast, the Black Dorid inhabits coastal waters and rocky substrates. It thrives in intertidal and subtidal zones, where it can find suitable food sources and breeding sites.
What They Eat and How They Breed
Black Dorids primarily feed on various species of sponges, algae, and small invertebrates. They reproduce through sexual reproduction, with fertilization occurring externally. Females lay egg masses, which are then fertilized by the male’s sperm, leading to the development of larvae.
