Kaloplocamus ramosus in Port Hacking, NSW

March 7, 2000
From: Erik Schloegl

Dear Bill,

As in my last message on Polycera capensis, here's another species that I think might have been artificially introduced to Australia - if my tentative identification of this animal as Tritonia nilsodhneri is correct. The photo was taken on October 18, 1998, at Ship Rock Aquatic Reserve in Port Hacking, New South Wales, Australia. I've dived the site quite often since then, but haven't seen this species again. The depth was 15m, on sandy bottom.

Best regards,
Erik Schloegl

schloegl@maths.uts.edu.au

Schloegl, E., 2000 (Mar 7) Kaloplocamus ramosus in Port Hacking, NSW. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2028

Dear Erik,
This is Kaloplocamus ramosus. Even though your id is wrong
it is possible you are correct in thinking it is an immigrant. If our identification of this animal is correct, it also occurs in the Mediterranean. This suggests that it has either been artificially introduced to Australia or the Mediterranean.

About its erratic appearance. Quite a few of these bryozoan feeders have unpredictable appearances, sometimes very common, other times absent. It is possible that many of them are 'injected' into particular sites by shipping, but it is also possible that their food bryozoan is also an irregular visitor, and without its presence the nudibranch larvae won't settle out of the plankton.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Mar 7). Comment on Kaloplocamus ramosus in Port Hacking, NSW by Erik Schloegl. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2028

Factsheet

Kaloplocamus ramosus

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