Thorunna punicea again [2]

April 25, 2008
From: Colin Ogden

Dear Bill,
I was very excited when I found the Thorunna punicea a couple of days ago [message #20671]. We have now found another one today. This was also on a totally different reef from the 3 other ones. This time it was moving across the reef, and not only did it have the rhythmical moving of it gills, it also was lifting the front edge of its mantle, very much like the Chromodoris conchyliata. I don't know whether this is normal behaviour, but thought you might be interested.

Once again its colour coding is identical to the previous ones. I know I at first thought it might be a H. bullocki, but most pictures I have seen of the H. bullocki have the gills situated almost at the end of an extended stalk.
Valda Fraser in the book she published with Dennis King (More Reef Fishes and Nudibranchs) also has an identical animal shown as a H. bullocki. Maybe the T. punicea has been around here for a lot longer than we know, and also now found on 4 separate reefs, maybe it has established a breeding base.

Locality: Sodwana Bay, 10 metres, South Africa, Indian, 12 September 2007, Reef. Length: 50mm. Photographer: Colin Ogden.

PS: thanks so much for the response on the Cerberilla africana [message #20692]. I shared it with Greg and he was very excited about it.

Regards
Colin

scubaco@iafrica.com

Ogden C. M., 2008 (Apr 25) Thorunna punicea again [2]. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20715

Dear Colin,

Thanks for this. You comment about the gills being on a 'stalk' in H. bullocki is quite correct. This difference certainly supports the idea that your animals are not H. bullocki. It would certainly be good to check the the anatomy of your animals.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Apr 25). Comment on Thorunna punicea again [2] by Colin Ogden. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20715

Factsheet

Thorunna punicea

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