Halgerda toliara from South Africa

November 17, 1999
From: Valda Fraser

Dear Bill,
Any idea with this one please?
Locality: South Coast of Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa near Scottburgh. Rocky reef with prolific hard and soft coraline growth. Depth: 25-28m, March 1999, Size: 40mm

Valda Fraser.

iti04937@mweb.co.za

Fraser, V., 1999 (Nov 17) Halgerda toliara from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1528

Dear Valda,
Shireen Fahey and Terry Gosliner have just published a paper on new species of Halgerda from the western Indian Ocean and I am pretty sure your animal is Halgerda toliara , a new species they describe from Madagascar.

They also discuss the identity of a very similarly coloured species, H. formosa, which Terry and I had both previously identified as H. punctata.

In brief the two species differ externally as follows:
H. formosa (Bergh, 1880) - yellow reticulate pattern - some black spotting around mantle skirt, and small whitish pustules near edge.
H. toliara Fahey & Gosliner, 1999. - yellow reticulate pattern - no black spots on mantle, small yellow pustules near edge.

On balance I think your animal is H. toliara, but if you have other photos or see the animal again you could look closely to see whether there are small yellow spots or pustules around the edge.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Nov 17). Comment on Halgerda toliara from South Africa by Valda Fraser. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1528

Factsheet

Halgerda toliara

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