Another remarkable Hallaxa

February 15, 2000
From: Atsushi Ono


Dear Bill,
Thank you and Clay Carlson for your advice on Hallaxa hileenae from Kerama Is.

Here are some more dorids which show sponge mimicry from Kerama Is. near Okinawa.
I found this species at 10m depth under side of a rock. The bigger is 13mm long, the smaller is 9mm long. The tips of rhinophore are faint black.

These animals are very similar to the sponges, therefore it is very difficult to find them.

Could you help me to identify this species?

Sincerely,
Atsushi Ono

ononini@cosmos.ne.jp

Ono, A., 2000 (Feb 15) Another remarkable Hallaxa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1903

Dear Atsushi,
This amazing animal is also a species of Hallaxa, in this case H. paulinae. It is also an excellent mimic of the sponge it feeds on.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Feb 15). Comment on Another remarkable Hallaxa by Atsushi Ono. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1903

Factsheet

Hallaxa paulinae