Marianina khaleesi | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
(unranked): | clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura |
Superfamily: | |
Family: | |
Genus: | |
Species: | M. khaleesi
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Binomial name | |
Marianina khaleesi (Silva, Azevedo & Matthews-Cascon, 2014)[1]
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Synonyms[2] | |
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Marianina khaleesi is a species of sea slugs, a dendronotid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Tritoniidae.[2]
The specific name khaleesi is named after the title "Khaleesi" used by the fictional character Daenerys Targaryen in the fantasy novel series A Song of Ice and Fire. The discoverers chose the name because the silver-colored band on the back of the slug reminded them of the pale blond hair of the character as played by Emilia Clarke in the television adaptation Game of Thrones.[3]
Marianina khaleesi was discovered off north-east Brazil in the South Atlantic Ocean and first described in 2013.
This species is up to 12 millimetres (0.47 in) long, with a slender white body, whose notum features a broad white band between the eyes and the tail. It is the only known Tritoniid with a unicuspid rachidian tooth in adult form.[1]