Biogeographical Distribution


Opisthobranchs and almost exclusively marine, with freshwater acochlidians being the only known exception. Species are known from almost every marine habitat, and some are planktonic (Rudman and Willan 1998). Perhaps surprisingly, 50 nudibranch species found in subantarctic and Antarctic waters (e.g. Austrodoris kerguelensis) (Rudman and Willan 1998; McClintock et al. 2010). The Great Barrier Reef has the richest nudibranch fauna in terms of nmber of species (approx. 400), but none endemic (Rudman and Willan 1998).

J. funebris not endemic to Australian waters, but inhabits tropical waters along the eastern and northern coastlines. Globally, this animal is also found in India, Indonesia, and the Mediterranean. However it has yet to be recorded in South Africa, South America or Antarctica (Rudman and Willan 1998).