Berthellina edwardsii(?) from Senegal

July 4, 2003
From: Marina Poddubetskaia

Dear Bill,
This notaspid is very common in Dakar. At the beginning, I was used to finding it at most of deep sites, at a depth of about 30-40m. All animals I saw were small, no more than 40mm in size. But one night I dived at a depth of only 4m and I saw a lot of specimens like this, but all of them were at least 70mm in length. All giants ! I was really astonished.

Of course, I followed your and Lucas Cervera's advice and I touched all these animals: but no any shell was detected. So, in Senegal I believed they were all Berthellina edwardsii. But now, Lucas Cervera told me that there is another Berthellina species near Cape Verde Islands which can be distinguished from Berthellina edwardsii only according to its internal anatomy. So, I fear we will never know what these animals really are.

Photos: near Dakar, Senegal, Eastern Atlantic.
Upper Right: Site: Le Grand Thiouriba. Depth: 35m. 31 May, 2003. Size: about 30-35mm.
Lower Left: Site: Kunk Diabar. Depth: 31m. 28 May, 2003. Size: 35-40mm
Lower Right: Site: Terou baye Sogui. Depth: 4m. 2 June, 2003. Size: 75-80mm
Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia - Nembro website

Cheers,
Marina.

nembro@nembro.info

Poddubetskaia, M., 2003 (Jul 4) Berthellina edwardsii(?) from Senegal. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10366

Thanks Marina,
Certainly if they felt soft and there was no sign of a large shell they are almost certainly a species of Berthellina. I can't be sure, but in your lower left photo, there is in the midline, the outline of a whitish oval object. It could be the bend in a duct, but it could also be the outline of its small shell. The size is right and the position of the shell in Berthellina is quite variable.

I'm afraid identifying these orange-yellow species of Berthellina is not possible from external features alone. If the anatomical differences being proposed at present prove constant, then it seems a scalpel will be the only way to confirm their identity. I'll file this on the Berthellina edwardsii Page, but not with total conviction.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Jul 4). Comment on Berthellina edwardsii(?) from Senegal by Marina Poddubetskaia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10366

Factsheet

Berthellina edwardsii

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