Flabellina ischitana from the Adriatic Sea

December 30, 2004
From: Luigi Montevecchi

Hi Bill!
This picture, taken with a digital camera (Sony F-717), seems to display two individuals of Flabellina affinis coupling one above another: What do you think?

Locality: Caprara - Tremiti Islands. Italy, Adriatic Sea
Depth: 10 meters, Length: 12-14 mm, 17 August 2004
Rocks, with a sandy bottom at about 20 meters
Photographer: Luigi Montevecchi

Luigi Montevecchi

montevecchi@iol.it

Montevecchi, L., 2004 (Dec 30) Flabellina ischitana from the Adriatic Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12847

Dear Luigi,
Thanks for the photo. Firstly I think this is probably Flabellina ischitana rather than Flabellina affinis. Have a look at my reply to an earlier message [#5566] of Baki Yokes on these two species for further information. Basically the ceratal wall in F. affinis is an opaque purple colour while in P. ischitana it is transparent, and the digestive gland duct can be clearly seen.

I'm afraid I can't see any evidence that the two are mating, but it is a fairly normal occurrence when two animals are close together like this. I have added a couple of close-ups of your photo to show the lamellae on the rhinophores [lower left] and how each cluster of cerata are arranged on a common stalk [lower right]. In the right foreground of the lower right photo are some expanded hydroid polyps. no doubt the food of this species.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2004 (Dec 30). Comment on Flabellina ischitana from the Adriatic Sea by Luigi Montevecchi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12847

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Flabellina ischitana

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