Re: Hermaea paucicirra Pruvot-Fol, 1953

August 2, 2007
From: Bill Rudman

Concerning message #20120:

To accompany Jana's message and Lucas Cervera's reply [#20366], here is a copy of the painting on which Pruvot-Fol based her species "Hermaea paucicirra? "

This species was described rather tentatively be Pruvot-Fol (1953: Pl. 2, fig. 26) on the basis of this water-colour painting by Helene Gantes (no specimen was found in the collection available to Pruvot-Fol). Even the actual location is unclear - I can only assume Morocco or Senegal. The painting shows the digestive gland ducts to be dark reddish brown. The relatively few cerata, the auriculate rhinophores and shape of the digestive gland ducts are the only distinguishing features available. Since 1977, Spanish workers have identified the animal illustrated in Jana's message [#20120] with H. paucicirra, and have reported it from both Atlantic and mediterranean coasts of Spain.

• Cervera, J. L., García-Gómez, J. C., and Ortea, J. A. (1988) A new species of the genus Hermaea (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia: Sacoglossa) and redescription of two rare sacoglossans of the European malacofauna. Iberus 8: 215-224.
• Ortea, J. A. (1977) Contribucion a la actualización de la fauna de Opistobranquios Ibericos. Sacoglossos. Boletin de la Estacion Central de Ecologie 6: 75-91.
• Pruvot-Fol, A. (1953) Etude de quelques opisthobranches de la cote Atlantique du Maroc et du Senegal. Travaux de l'Institute Scientifique Cherifien, Zoologie 5: 1-105.
• Sanchez-Tocino, L., Ocana, A., and García, F. J. (2000) Contribution to the knowledge of the Opisthobranch Molluscs from the coast of Granada (southeastern Spain). Iberus 18: 1-14.

Best wishes
Bill Rudman

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