Three-lined Aeolid
Orienthella trilineata
Marine Invertebrates
Rocky subtidal habitat
iNaturalist record: Aug 2023
Meet this species
The three-lined aeolid is a small nudibranch whose detailed form becomes apparent only at close range. Cerata covering the animal's back play roles in respiration and defence, giving aeolids a very different appearance from the dorid nudibranchs also documented around Greene Point.
Three-lined aeolid sea slug photographed on rocky subtidal habitat near Greene Point.
What to look for:
Look very closely for a tiny sea slug with an elongated body, delicate finger-like cerata and three pale longitudinal lines that give the species its common name. Its intricate pattern can be difficult to appreciate without a close photograph.
Why It Matters Here:
This tiny animal represents exactly why a photographic field record matters. Some of the most remarkable biodiversity in the Greene Point ecosystem is measured in centimetres and could easily disappear into the background without careful observation.
Field Record
Documented at Greene Point through field observations and photographs recorded on iNaturalist.