Description: The body is translucent white in colour with thin lines of opaque white pigment, The cerata are numerous and arranged in clusters along the sides of the body. They are filled with digestive glands of variable colour, red, red-brown or yellow-orange. There are a series of dashes of white pigment on the sides of the cerata and the cnidosacs are clearly visible with no opaque pigment ring covering them. Typically, about 20-50 mm, but well-fed idividuals may be larger. The spawn consists of a thread which is laid in a wavy spiral.

Habitat: Commonly found in spring and summer in shallow exposed sites and also depper water which is exposed to tidal streams.

Ecology: The normal food is the hydroid Tubularia indivisa, but other hydroids are sometimes eaten, such as Corymorpha nutans. Often found in mixed populations with Coryphella browni.

Distribution: Found all around Britain and Ireland where there is suitable food and habitat.

Similar Species: Could be confused with Coryphella lineata.

Key Identification Features:

• White longitudinal lines down the back and the sides of the body.
• White dashes on the cerata or cerata with no markings.
• Absence of opaque white pigment obscuring the cnidosacs.

Distribution Map from NBN: Coryphella chriskaugei at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Coryphella chriskaugei at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Coryphella chriskaugei

WoRMS: Coryphella chriskaugei at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Coryphella chriskaugei (Korshunova, Martynov, Bakken, Evertsen, Fletcher, Mudianta, Saito, Lundin, Schrödl & Picton, 2017). AphiaID: 1572548.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Mollusca; Gastropoda; Heterobranchia; Euthyneura; Ringipleura; Nudipleura; Nudibranchia; Cladobranchia; Fionoidea; Coryphellidae; Coryphella