Chromodoris alternata from Port Phillip Bay, Australia

September 9, 2006
From: Trevor McMurrich

Hi Bill,

I was wondering if you could help me identify this nudibranch.

Locality: Steeles Rock, 1 metre, Victoria, Australia, Port Phillip Bay, 2 July 2006, weed covered reef. Length: 15 mm. Photographer: Trevor McMurrich.

Thank you
Trevor McMurrich

trevm@aanet.com.au

McMurrich, T.B., 2006 (Sep 9) Chromodoris alternata from Port Phillip Bay, Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17464

Dear Trevor,
I am pretty sure this is Chromodoris alternata. Usually it has a large orange brown patch in the middle but I have seen juveniles with small spots and patches as in your animal. The almost transparent mantle and alternating white and translucent purple colour around the mantle edge, is charcteristic of this species. If you look at the Fact Sheet you will see that there are two other species, Digidentis perplexa and Chromodoris ambiguus, with a similar colour pattern living in the same region, which can be a bit confusing.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Sep 9). Comment on Chromodoris alternata from Port Phillip Bay, Australia by Trevor McMurrich. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17464

Factsheet

Chromodoris alternata