Acteon tornatilis trails, South Wales, UK

August 12, 2008
From: Judith Oakley

Hi Bill,

I thought the Forum might be interested in seeing some of the amazing trails that Acteon tornatilis makes on sandy shores here in South Wales, United Kingdom. I have also attached a close up of the shelled sea slug. The images are from Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot and Oxwich Beach, Gower.

Regards
Judith Oakley

jomoakley@binternet.com

Oakley, J., 2008 (Aug 12) Acteon tornatilis trails, South Wales, UK. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21785

Dear Judith,

It's great to see photos of Acteon tornatilis. In the early 1970s I studied species of the related genus Pupa in New Zealand, so when I first went to the UK I was very keen to see the 'classic' Acteon tornatilis in action. Tom Thompson assured me that he could always find it, but despite trips to Plymouth and the Gower Peninsula with Tom I never did see it alive. I am afraid I have never found opisthobranchs to be the most reliable animals to study, even the most common having the ability to disappear overnight if they get the slightest inkling that a researcher is looking for them. I must say Acteon tornatilis reminds me of the totally unrelated olives in the way they are adapted for 'ploughing' through the sand.

I have changed your spelling Actaeon to the correct Acteon. Many older works incoreectly use the ae spelling.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Aug 12). Comment on Acteon tornatilis trails, South Wales, UK by Judith Oakley. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21785

Factsheet

Acteon tornatilis

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