Cuthona amoena from Scotland

May 9, 2006
From: Jim Anderson

Dear Bill,

This animal was found on the hydroids growing on the disused electricity cable that drapes over the reef at 15 m at the site. ID by Dr. Bernard Picton.

Locality: South Gortein, Loch Fyne, 15 m, Scotland, Atlantic Ocean, 30 April 2006, Rocky reef. Length: 15 mm. Photographer: Jim Anderson.

Regards,

Jim A
http://www.scottishnudibranchs.co.uk/

jander4454@gmail.com

Anderson, J., 2006 (May 9) Cuthona amoena from Scotland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16529

Thanks Jim,
Your photo has reminded me that the Fact Sheet for this species was blank!

I am glad you got an identification from Bernard Picton because there are a number of very similar looking species in your part of the world. One in particular, C. rubescens,  feeds on the same hydroid as C. amoena - Halecium halecinum - and the one sure external feature which apparently distinguishes the two is that  C. amoena has a brown band on the oral tentacles, about midway down their length. Both species have a similar brown band on the rhinophores. And as luck would have it, the only things I can't see in your excellent photo are the oral tentacles.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (May 9). Comment on Cuthona amoena from Scotland by Jim Anderson. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16529

Factsheet

Cuthona amoena

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