{{Short description|Species of gastropod}} {{Speciesbox | image = Tambja morosa 1.jpg | image_caption = ''Tambja morosa'' in Mactan, Philippines, head end towards the left | taxon = Tambja morosa | authority = (Bergh, 1877)<ref>Bergh, L.S.R. (1877). Malacologische Untersuchungen. In: C.G. Semper, Reisen im Archipel der Philippinen, Wissenschaftliche Resultate. Band 2, Heft 11: 429-494, Pls. 54-57.</ref> | synonyms_ref = <ref name="WoRMS" /> | synonyms = * ''Nembrotha morosa'' Bergh, 1877 * ''Tambja kushimotoensis'' Baba, 1987 }}
'''''Tambja morosa''''', also known as '''''Tambja kushimotoensis''''' or '''gloomy nudibranch''',<ref name="hoover">Hoover, John P.,"Hawai'i's Sea Creatures". Mutual Publishing, 1998, p. 176.</ref> is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the subfamily Nembrothinae<ref name="seaslugforum"/> within the family Polyceridae.<ref name="WoRMS">{{WRMS species|531173|''Tambja morosa'' (Bergh, 1877)|10 January 2019}}</ref><ref name="Bouchet">Bouchet P. & Rocroi J.-P. (Ed.); Frýda J., Hausdorf B., Ponder W., Valdes A. & Warén A. 2005. ''Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families''. Malacologia: International Journal of Malacology, 47(1-2). ConchBooks: Hackenheim, Germany. {{ISBN|3-925919-72-4}}. ISSN 0076-2997. 397 pp. http://www.vliz.be/Vmdcdata/imis2/ref.php?refid=78278</ref>
This species is instead sometimes placed in the family Gymnodorididae.<ref>Gary R. McDonald, "[https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0hb5d87j Nudibranch Systematic Index]" (July 29, 2006). Institute of Marine Sciences. Paper Nudibranch_Systematic_Index.</ref>
==Distribution== The distribution of this species is primarily Indo-Pacific. It is found in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Australia, French Polynesia, Fiji and Hawaii.
==Description== This large species of ''Tambja'' grows to approximately 70–75 mm in length. This species is normally black with blue markings, although dark green specimens are found in the cooler waters of New South Wales and northern New Zealand.<ref name="seaslugforum">{{cite web |url=http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=tambmoro |title=The Sea Slug Forum - Tambja morosa |access-date=2009-07-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615062922/http://seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=tambmoro |archivedate=2010-06-15 }}</ref> The skin of this slug is wrinkled, and it appears nearly black underwater. It has approximately five round, blue spots on its back, a blue band around its head, and a bright blue margin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://slugsite.us/bow/nudwk140.htm|title = Nudi of the Week is Tambja morosa}}</ref>
==Diet== ''Tambja morosa'' feeds on arborescent bryozoan colonies.<ref name="seaslugforum"/>
==References== {{Reflist}} * Pola M., Cervera J.L. & Gosliner T.M. (2006) ''Taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of the genus Tambja Burn, 1962 (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Polyceridae)''. Zoologica Scripta 35(5):491-530.
==Further reading== * Baba, K. (1987) Two new green colored species of Tambja from Japan (Nudibranchia: Polyceridae). Venus, The Japanese Journal of Malacology, 46(1): 13-18. * Marshall, J.G. & Willan, R.C. (1999) Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef.
==External links== {{Wikispecies|tambja morosa}} * [https://www.marinephotographic.com/opisthobranch/2018/7/2/1lbpfzbszz6hg090q02huu7z9sfjn0 Image of ''Tambja morosa''] * [http://www.medslugs.de/E/Pac-W/Tambja_morosa.htm/ Images of ''Tambja morosa''] * [http://seaslugsofhawaii.com/species/Tambja-morosa-a.html ''Tambja morosa'' at Sea Slugs of Hawaii] * {{SealifePhotos|531173}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2375947}}
Category:Polyceridae Category:Gastropods described in 1877 Category:Taxa named by Rudolph Bergh