Crosslandia daedali POORMAN & MULLINER, 1981 (NUDIBRANCHIA, DENDRONOTOIDEA, SCYLLAEIDAE) ASSOCIATED WITH BROWN ALGAE IN THE COASTAL ZONE FROM THE STATE OF PARAÍBA, NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Nudibranchs are marine gastropods with no shell and usually have a beautiful color pattern. The aim of this work was to record the scyllaeid Crosslandia daedali Poorman & Mulliner 1981 associated with brown algae in the coastal zone from the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. One individual of this species was collected in November 2019 at about 0.5 meters in depth in the subtidal zone of Cabo Branco Beach in the city of João Pessoa. Immediately after collection, the scyllaeid was transferred to a container with seawater, photographed still alive and then fixed in 70% alcohol. The individual measured about 15 mm in length, presented a typical orange-brown color pattern and was associated with brown algae of the genus Padina (Class Phaeophyceae). A large gap in knowledge remains on the richness of nudibranchs in coastal ecosystems of northeastern Brazil associated with algae and reef ecosystems, including the state of Paraíba, which needs to be studied due to the degradation of tropical coastal ecosystems.