{{Short description|Species of gastropod}} {{Speciesbox | image = Nudibranch_-_Noumea_crocea_3.jpg | image_caption = A live individual of ''Diversidoris crocea'' in Guam, head end towards the right | genus = Diversidoris | species = crocea | authority = (Rudman, 1986)<ref>Rudman W.B. (1986) ''The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: ''Noumea flava'' color group''. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 88: 307-404. page(s): 382</ref> | synonyms = {{species list |Noumea crocea| Rudman, 1986 (basionym) }} }}
'''''Diversidoris crocea''''' is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.<ref name="WoRMS">MolluscaBase (2018). [http://www.molluscabase.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=597311 ''Diversidoris crocea'' (Rudman, 1986).] Accessed on 2019-01-31.</ref><ref>Johnson R.F. & Gosliner T.M. (2012) [http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0033479 ''Traditional taxonomic groupings mask evolutionary history: A molecular phylogeny and new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs''.] PLoS ONE 7(4): e33479</ref>
== Distribution == This species is found in the tropical western Pacific, including: Indonesia, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Guam, and south to Queensland, Australia.<ref name="Noumea_crocea">Rudman, W.B., 1998 (March 28) [http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/noucroc ''Noumea crocea'' Rudman, 1986.] [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.</ref><ref>Gosliner, T.M., Behrens, D.W. & Valdés, Á. (2008) I''ndo-Pacific Nudibranchs and seaslugs. A field guide to the world's most diverse fauna''. Sea Challengers Natural History Books, Washington, 426 pp. page(s): 245</ref>
==Description== This nudibranch is usually less than {{cvt|50|mm}} in length. It has a yellow body with a pale mantle margin that has two semi-permanent mantle folds about mid-body. The rhinophores and branchia (gills) are also yellow. However, identifying individual yellow sea slugs within the genus ''Diversidoris'' can be challenging because yellow forms which mimic their food, yellow sponges, exist in many related species.<ref>Rudman, W.B., 2001 (March 29) [http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/noumflavgp ''Noumea flava'' Colour Group.] [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.</ref><ref>Debelius, H. & Kuiter, R.H. (2007) ''Nudibranchs of the world''. ConchBooks, Frankfurt, 360 pp. {{ISBN|978-3-939767-06-0}} page(s): 206</ref><ref>Marshall, J.G. & Willan, R.C. 1999. ''Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef''. Leiden : Backhuys 257 pp.</ref>
==Ecology== This species is often found on the yellow sponge ''Darwinella'', which appears to be its preferred food source.<ref name="ssf_food">Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Jun 24). [http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16958 Comment on ''Noumea crocea'' from the Philippines by Carlos R. Munda.] <nowiki>[Message in]</nowiki> Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Diversidoris crocea}} * {{SealifePhotos|597311}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3162260}}
Category:Chromodorididae Category:Gastropods described in 1986 Category:Taxa named by William B. Rudman