Ceratosoma sinuata Fact Sheet

October 18, 1999
From: Bill Rudman

NOTE: This Fact Sheet is no longer current.  It was originally posted on 18 October 1999 and replaced on 27 April 2007. It is retained here for archival purposes only.
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Ceratosoma sinuata
(van Hasselt, 1824)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Chromodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Found throughout the tropical and subtropical Indo-West Pacific.

PHOTO

UPPER RIGHT: Two views of typical 'sinuata colour form. Solitary Islands, northern New South Wales, Australia, April 1987.
LOWER PHOTOS: Two 'flavicostata/magnifica' colour forms - LEFT: Solitary Islands, northern NSW, May 1987; - RIGHT: Coffs Harbour region, northern New South Wales, November 1990. PHOTOS: Bill Rudman

Formerly placed in the genus Miamira, Valdes & Gosliner (1999) have recently proposed that these animals are members of the chromodorid genus Ceratosoma. The number of species in the 'Miamira-group' is still not clear. Some authors, such as Baba & Hamatani (1974), consider there is a single species which ranges from the green 'sinuata' form to the purplish 'flavicostata form. Others consider there are sufficient distinctions in external shape and colour, and radular morphology, to distinguish two or three species. While the extremes are very clear, there are many intermediate forms which suggest perhaps a continuum. At present I have placed them all as a single species, but this is through lack of knowledge rather than through some great insight.

Reference:
• Valdes, A. & Gosliner, T. (1999) Reassessment of the systematic status of Miamira Bergh, 1875 and Orodoris Bergh, 1875 (Nudibranchia; Chromodorididae) in light of phylogenetic analysis. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 65:33-45.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Oct 18) Ceratosoma sinuata Fact Sheet. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19853

Factsheet

Ceratosoma sinuatum

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