Aeolid? Janolus? Stiliger? from Sulawesi

February 27, 2000
From: Lindsay Warren


Dear Bill
The two attached shots are of a beautiful unidentified aeolid found by Rich Smith at 11am on 18 May 1999 on dead table coral covered in algal growth.  Depth: 6 m.  Size: 6 mm.  Pulau Kaledupa, Tukang Besi Archipelago, SE Sulawesi, Indonesia. [Operation Wallacea].

The overall body colour is translucent white with fine white speckling towards the front which also features on the quite long, simple rhinophores.  The cerata down each side of the body which come together at the posterior end are quite distinctive with black and orange internal areas and blue tips.  Two small eye spots are visible close together behind the rhinophores and there is a larger black spot further back on the notum.
Photos: Lindsay Warren

Any idea as to what it might be?

All the best
Lindsay Warren

100014.2112@compuserve.com

Warren, L., 2000 (Feb 27) Aeolid? Janolus? Stiliger? from Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1979

Dear Lindsay,
I don't think this is an aeolid. The eyes on a hump behind the rhinophores is an unusual placement for aeolid eyes. Also the lack of oral tentacles is very unusual. One thing that does interest me is that in one photo there seems to be a crest between the rhinophores which could suggest something related to Janolus. That is not altogether satisfactory because Janolus usually has perfoliate, not smooth, rhinophores, and the cerata usually go around the front of the body.

By coincidence Atsushi Ono just sent photos of what seems to be the same animal from Japan. He suggested it was a sacoglossan which is also a possibility. It could be a Stiliger or Costasiella. If so the black spot you enquire about behind the eyes could be the anus.

At this stage I am not sure. The size of the animals could suggest we are looking at juveniles which could complicate the matter. Let's see if someone can help.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Feb 27). Comment on Aeolid? Janolus? Stiliger? from Sulawesi by Lindsay Warren. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1979

Factsheet

Costasiella? sp. 2.

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