Rhodope veranii
| Rhodope veranii | |
|---|---|
| A specimen of Rhodope veranii | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Family: | Rhodopidae |
| Genus: | Rhodope |
| Species: | R. veranii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Rhodope veranii Koelliker, 1847
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Rhodope veranii is a species of small meiofaunal sea slug, a shell-less vermiform gastropod mollusk in the family Rhodopidae. Its worm-like body structure differs considerably from typical gastropods, to the point of being mistaken for a flatworm in the past.[2] It is the type species of the genus Rhodope.[1]
Feeding habits
Rhodopids are the only known predators of placozoans, which make up the primary component of their diet.[3]
References
- ^ a b "MolluscaBase - Rhodope veranii Koelliker, 1847". www.molluscabase.org. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ^ Brenzinger, Bastian; Haszprunar, Gerhard; Schrödl, Michael (2013). "At the limits of a successful body plan - 3D microanatomy, histology and evolution of Helminthope (Mollusca: Heterobranchia: Rhodopemorpha), the most worm-like gastropod". Frontiers in Zoology. 10 (1): 37. doi:10.1186/1742-9994-10-37. ISSN 1742-9994. PMC 3704743. PMID 23809165.
- ^ Eitel, Michael; Osigus, Hans‐Jürgen; Brenzinger, Bastian; Wörheide, Gert (2024). "Beauty in the beast – Placozoan biodiversity explored through molluscan predator genomics". Ecology and Evolution. 14 (4). doi:10.1002/ece3.11220. ISSN 2045-7758. PMC 11007570.