Tyrannodoris luteolineata

Widespread in Indo-western Pacific.

A large, robust nudibranch. Black or dark blue with yellow lines. Bipinnate (between 3 and 5 branches) gills also black or blue in the centre of the body and non-retractable. Rhinophores are perfoliate and fully retractile. Tyrannodoris luteolineata typically range from 30 to 70mm in length although some specimens up to 130mm have been recorded.

Tyrannodoris luteolineata is considered a fast-moving and voracious predator that hunts other nudibranchs including large species such as Tamja and Nembrotha. It has also been recorded resorting to cannibalism - eating smaller individuals of its own species.

Originally described in 1936 and named Nembrotha luteolineata, was then reclassified as Roboastra luteolineata and became Tyrannodoris (a new genus) luteolineata in 2017 following taxonomic revision.