Cyerce nigra & C. nigricans

April 11, 2000
From: C.Carlson & P.J.Hoff

Bill,
Here is one of our scans of the juvenile Cyerce nigra I emailed you about in early March. This first record of it feeding is a piece of evidence to suggest it could be distinct from Cyerce nigricans.

Data: 4mm long; Guam, Bile Bay, 18m; 8 March 2000

The specimen was found on Udotea geppii and obviously fed on this algae
while we watched it for a couple of days in the lab. In the attached scan it had gotten most of the 'goody' to the left and is now working on the edge of the section. The banding on the part of the cerata facing anteriorly has just started on the first 2 pair of anterior cerata. The left rhinophore appears to show an early stage of bifurcation.

Clay & Patty Jo
Merizo, Guam

clay.carlson@kuentos.guam.net

Carlson, C. & Hoff, P.J. , 2000 (Apr 11) Cyerce nigra & C. nigricans. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2248

Dear Clay & Patty Jo,
This is a very interesting find. It certainly suggests that C. nigra, feeding on Udotea, could be a distinct species, separate from Cyerce nigricans, which seems to feed exclusively on the filamentous Chlorodesmis.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful photograph with us. It's a pity this animal already has a name. With the colour pattern on its head "tigra" would have been a much more appropriate name then "nigra".

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Apr 11). Comment on Cyerce nigra & C. nigricans by C.Carlson & P.J.Hoff . [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2248

Factsheet

Cyerce nigra

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