Scientific Name:Aegires citrinus
Common Name: Lemon-spotted Aegires

Adult Size: 10 – 25 mm
Depth Range: 3 – 30 m; most frequently on reef slopes and volcanic rock faces
Biotope / Habitat: Hard substrates encrusted with calcareous sponges (especially creamy-yellow Leucetta and Clathrina)
Diet: Obligate spongivore that rasps pieces from thin, calcified sponges; its body color often matches its prey for camouflage
Reproduction: Simultaneous hermaphrodite; mates flank-to-flank and lays a tight, flattened spiral ribbon of cream-yellow eggs directly on the food sponge. Larvae are planktonic before settling.
Fun Fact: Aegires citrinus is covered in stiff, club-shaped tubercles tipped with tiny spicules; these give it a sand-papery texture that deters predators—and makes it look like a miniature lemon dotted with spikes!

Bright yet well hidden, the lemon-spotted Aegires citrinus blends perfectly with the pale calcareous sponges it feeds on. Search for a tiny, dimpled yellow blob studded with knobby spikes: once you see one, you’ll never forget this citrus-themed nudibranch.