About Tayuva lilacina (A.Gould, 1852)
Tayuva lilacina (A.Gould, 1852) has a maximum recorded body length that ranges from 50 mm up to 120 mm. This species was first described from Honolulu, Oahu, which was then known as the Sandwich Islands. It has been recorded across a wide area, including the Indo-Central Pacific, the Pacific coast of Mexico, and the Canary Islands. This broad distribution has led researchers to suggest it is likely a species complex, and the species has also been classified as an invasive. In terms of ecology, the minimum recorded depth for this species is 0.5 m, and the maximum recorded depth is 63 m. In situ observations made on the Pacific coast of Mexico have confirmed that Tayuva lilacina feeds on the sponge Haliclona caerulea, and it is probably highly specialized to feed on this specific sponge.
