California armina (Armina californica)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from SeaLifeBase, occurrence map from GBIF.
California armina (Armina californica) is a marine species in the family Arminidae (Mollusca › Gastropoda › Nudibranchia), recorded in the World Register of Marine Species as Armina californica (J. G. Cooper, 1863) under AphiaID 558913.
- Scientific name
- Armina californica
- Authority
- (J. G. Cooper, 1863)
- Family
- Arminidae
- Order
- Nudibranchia
- Maximum length
- 7 cm
- Depth range
- 0–260 m
- Habitat zone
- benthic
- Gbif occurrence records
- 1,365
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Mollusca · Class: Gastropoda · Order: Nudibranchia · Family: Arminidae · Genus: Armina.
Accepted name: Armina californica · Authority: (J. G. Cooper, 1863) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 558913.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Armina columbiana O'Donoghue, 1924; Armina digueti Pruvot-Fol, 1956; Armina vancouverensis (Bergh, 1876); Pleurophyllidia californica Cooper, 1863; Pleurophyllidia vancouverensis Bergh, 1876.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=558913 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)
Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Armina californica. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 7 cm · Depth range: 0–260 m · Habitat zone: benthic · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100.
SeaLifeBase notes: Assumed maximum length from Ref. 844. Preys on sea pens and the sea pansy Renilla sp. (Ref. 822).
Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 8384) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Armina-californica.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
1,365 georeferenced occurrence records for Armina californica are published through GBIF from 6 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 95 distinct locations from a sample of 1,365 records, omitting 44 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: United States of America (930); Canada (391); Mexico (38); Panama (3); Costa Rica (2).
The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2291819) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2291819&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=558913 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.
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