Aiteng is a genus comprising three species of sea slug, A. ater and A. mysticus being found in intertidal zones while A. marefugitus is fully terrestrial.[1][2][3] Aiteng is the only genus in the family Aitengidae. The generic name Aiteng is derived from the name of a black puppet Ai Theng, which is one of the shadow play (Nang yai) puppets in southern Thailand.[1]
Swennen & Buatip (2009)[1] tentatively classified Aitengidae within the Sacoglossa,[1] but they noted that some characteristics of the nervous system are similar to those of the Cephalaspidea and Acochlidioidea (mentioned as Acochlidea).[1]
Aitengidae clusters within the Hedylopsacea as sister group to Pseudunelidae and Acochlidiidae or basal within Hedylopsacea.[4] Philippe Bouchet (2010)[5] classified Aitengidae within the superfamily Hedylopsoidea.[5]
Species in the genus Aiteng include:
The distribution of Aiteng ater includes Thailand.[1] The distribution of Aiteng mysticus includes Japan.[4] The distribution of Aiteng marefugitus includes Palau.
Aiteng ater lives "amphibiously" in mangrove forests in the intertidal zone, on the mud.[1]
This article incorporates CC-BY-2.0 text from the reference.[4]
Aiteng is a genus comprising three species of sea slug, A. ater and A. mysticus being found in intertidal zones while A. marefugitus is fully terrestrial. Aiteng is the only genus in the family Aitengidae. The generic name Aiteng is derived from the name of a black puppet Ai Theng, which is one of the shadow play (Nang yai) puppets in southern Thailand.
