Another Lophodoris? from Japan

September 8, 2009
From: Yuriko Taniguchi


Dear Bill

The other day, I found a sea slug which I had not seen before. Then, I looked for it in the Sea Slug Forum  species list. Although I thought that it was similar to "Lophodoris sp. 1 ", the color of gills and rhinophores differs a bit.

Is the one I saw a colour variation or a different species? 

Locality details: JAPAN, Pacific Ocean (Latitude 34°17, Longitude136°39?, Depth: 15-16 m. Specimen length: about 10 mm. 30 August 2009, on a reef. Photographers: Mr.K.Ito  & Mr.J.Go

Best Regards,
Yuriko

fwpc8434@nifty.com

Taniguchi, Y, 2009 (Sep 8) Another Lophodoris? from Japan. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22648

Dear Yuriko,

This is an interesting find.  Could you give me a few more details about where you found it please?

It certainly has similarities in shape to the animal I have called Lophodoris sp. 1 but it has some colour differences. I thought perhaps it was a colour form of Limacia cockerelli which is found on the northeast coast of North America, but your photo of the head shows the large oral hood arrangement found in Lophodoris and Okenia. If you have a photo showing the posterior end of the body it would be interesting.

I suspect this is the same as the animal in Dong Bum Koh's message from Korea [message #17046] which we have tentatively identified as a colour form of Okenia echinata.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2009 (Sep 8). Comment on Another Lophodoris? from Japan by Yuriko Taniguchi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22648

Factsheet

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