Is the genus Barnardaclesia valid?

February 2, 2006
From: Carlo Magenta Cunha

Dear Bill,
I would like to know about genus Barnardaclesia. Is it a valid genus in the Aplysiidae? This genus is very similar to Bursatella.  Eales (1952) describes Barnardaclesia cirrhifera with anatomy references.

  • Eales, N.B.1952. On Barnardaclesia cirrhifera (Q. & G.). Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London, 29(2/3): 71-79 p.

Congratulations for web site!
Cheers.
Carlo M. Cunha

carlomagenta@gmail.com

Cunha, C.M., 2006 (Feb 2) Is the genus Barnardaclesia valid?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15721

FIGURE: Plate 24; figure 8. Aplysie cirrhifére [Aplysia cirrhifera]. Quoy, J.R & Gaimard, J.P (1832) Atlas.

Dear Carlo,
Nellie Eales was a prolific worker on the aplysiids but unfortunately most of her work was done from preserved specimens she found in museum collections. Anyone with any experience with aplysiids will know that once preserved they lose their colour and much of their natural shape, and unless they are extremely well narcotised, they almost inevitably contract on preservation which distorts their shape, and usually rearranges their internal organs. Although at on stage she mentioned the necessity of describing the living shape and colour of species, she never put that into practice herself.

The genus Barnardaclesia was proposed by Engel & Eales (1935) who chose Aplysia cirrhifera Quoy & Gaimard, 1832 as the type species. In brief, members of the genus were considered larger than Stylocheilus and smaller than Bursatella, and to have a long slender 'tail' like Stylocheilus but to differ in having the genital opening just inside the mantle cavity rather than just outside as found in Stylocheilus. However Bursatella also has the genital opening just inside the mantle cavity. Most authors (MacNae, 1962; Marcus, 1972) consider Barnardaclesia to be a synonym of Bursatella, but some, notably Bebbington (1974, 1977) don't really address the question. Aplysia cirrhifera was based on specimens from Mauritius, and MacNae later identified animals from South Africa with that name, but placed them in Bursatella. It is possible there may be a distinct species, but considering the variability found in Bursatella leachii, it is unlikely. It is unfortunate that Engel & Eales felt the need to propose a new genus for a few preserved specimens.

  • Bebbington, A. (1974) Aplysiid species from East Africa with notes on the Indian Ocean Aplysiomorpha (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 54: 63-99.
  • Bebbington, A (1977) Aplysiid species from Eastern Australia with notes on the Pacific Ocean Aplysiomorpha (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia). Transactions of the Zoological Society of London, 34: 87-147.
  • Macnae, W. (1962) Tectibranch Molluscs from Southern Africa. Annals of the Natal Museum, 15(16): 183-199.
  • Marcus, Ev. (1972) On the Anaspidea (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia) of the warm waters of the western Atlantic. Bulletin of Marine Science, 22(4): 841-874.
  • Quoy, J.R & Gaimard, J.P (1832) Voyages de decouvertes de l`Astrolabe pendant les annees 1826-1829 sous le commandement de M.J. Dumont d`Urville. Zoologie 2.  Atlas. Mollusques Plates 1-93.
  • Quoy, J.R & Gaimard, J.P (1832) Voyages de decouvertes de l`Astrolabe pendant les annees 1826-1829 sous le commandement de M.J. Dumont d`Urville. Zoologie 2: 1-320.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Feb 2). Comment on Is the genus Barnardaclesia valid? by Carlo Magenta Cunha. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15721

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