Re: Trapania euryeia? from Amami Ooshima Islands, Japan.

March 2, 2009
From: Brian Mayes


Concerning message #9455:

Dear Bill,

Here are some photos of Trapania euryeia eating a sponge. It also has no small white spots in the dark brown patches like those submitted by Jun Inamoto in March 2008.

By the way - I feel Terry Gosliner should rename this species, it should have been called 'Trapania friesian' after the cow it resembles. ;-)

Locality: Secret Bay, Anilao, 13 metres, Luzon, Philippines, South China Sea, 12 February 2009, Sandy. Length: 10 mm. Photographer: Brian Mayes.

Best regards
Brian Mayes

brian.r.mayes@gmail.com

Mayes, B.R., 2009 (Mar 2) Re: Trapania euryeia? from Amami Ooshima Islands, Japan.. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22297

Dear Brian,

Yes it looks like this species is a bit variable in colour. Coming for a dairying country like New Zealand I appreciate your comment about Friesian cows - for those of you who don't a quick Google search will show you the close resemblance.

Concerning your comment that they feed on sponges. This is a common misapprehension based on their common association with certain sponges. Have a look at Sean Kearney's message [#19053] which shows that this species, like all the others we have information on, feed on microscopic stalked animals called kamptozoa, which live in association with the sponges.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2009 (Mar 2). Comment on Re: Trapania euryeia? from Amami Ooshima Islands, Japan. by Brian Mayes. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22297

Factsheet

Trapania euryeia

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