Cratena simba
Edmunds, 1970

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Glaucidae

DISTRIBUTION

Tropical Indo-West Pacific distribution

PHOTO

Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, 0-18m, Queensland, Australia, Pacific Ocean, 02 May 2007, Intertial and subtidal. Length: 6-11 mm. Photographer: Gary Cobb.

Relatively small glaucid aeolid with anterior cluster of cerata on each side arranged in a single arch, while the cerata behind the heart are arranged in single sloping rows. The oral tentacles and rhinophores are smooth, tapering to a rounded point, and the anterior end of the foot is extended on each side into tentacular foot corners. The body is translucent clear with some white spots and patches, and a most characteristic pattern of curved thin orange lines. On the head there is an orange inverted V-shaped mark running forward from each rhinophore, and behind the rhinopores is an orange line running back from the base of each rhinophore and they curving in to meet in the midline. Down the body, in the space between the ceratal clusters there are similar pairs of orange lines. The ceratal wall is marked with a band of vertical white lines, which are quite obvious when the digestive gland is a dark brown colour.

• Edmunds, M. (1970) Opisthobranchiate Mollusca from Tanzania. II. Eolidacea (Cuthonidae, Piseinotecidae and Facelinidae). Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London, 39: 15-57.

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