Eubranchus pallidus
(Alder & Hancock, 1842)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Eubranchidae

DISTRIBUTION

European coast from the Barents Sea to the western Mediterranean. Also reported from New England, USA.

PHOTO

UPPER: 'Pallid' colour form. Burghsluis, de Oosterschelde, the Netherlands. Photo: Peter van Bragt.
LOWER: On rocks at Craig'n Gelt, Dunbar, east coast of Scotland. 6 - 11 metres, crawling over and among the weedy rock surfaces, 15 mm long alive. 27 May, 2001. Photo: Jim Anderson.

May reach about 25mm in length. Despite their name, they are usually not pale, and can often have a microscopic colour pattern of reds, oranges, gold and white. Feeds on a wide variety of hydroids.

Reference:
• Thompson, T.E. & Brown, G.H. (1984) Biology of Opisthobranch Molluscs, Vol 2. Ray Society: London.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (August 29) Eubranchus pallidus (Alder & Hancock, 1842). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/eubrpall

Related messages

  1. Eubranchus pallidus from Maine, USA
    From: Alan Shepard, October 5, 2003
  2. Eubranchus pallidus from Barents Sea
    From: Irina Roginskaya, July 9, 2002
  3. Eubranchus pallidus from Scotland
    From: Jim Anderson, June 26, 2002
  4. Re: Eubranchus from France
    From: Bernard Picton, September 23, 2000
  5. Re: Eubranchus? from France
    From: Juan Lucas Cervera, August 31, 2000
  6. Eubranchus? from France
    From: Erwin Koehler, August 29, 2000
  7. Eubranchus pallidus from the Netherlands
    From: Peter H. van Bragt, August 31, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages