The Mediterranean Cratena peregrina from Mumbai, India

November 3, 2009
From: Apte Deepak


Concerning message #9928:

One of our volunteers found this species in Mumbai on a rocky shore dominated by silt.

Locality: Mumbai, exposed rock pool, Maharashtra, Arabian Sea, 2 october 2009, Rocky shore dominated by mud. Length: 15 mm. Photographer: Deepak Apte.

Deepak Apte

spiderconch@gmail.com

Apte, D.A., 2009 (Nov 3) The Mediterranean Cratena peregrina from Mumbai, India. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22690

Dear Deepak,

This species certainly has similarities to Sakuraeolis nungunoides in the message you refer to [#9928] but the arrangement of the orange markings on the head and rhinophores is different and so is the arrangement of the cerata. In your animal the first group of cerata on each side is arranged in an upside down V shape while in all the other groups the cerata are in a single sloping line. In S. nungunoides all but the most posterior cerata are arranged in inverted Vs or arches.

By chance I have also received a post from Vishal Bhave [message #22754 ]with a photo of what appears to be the same species, also from  the same part of India in which he likens his animal to the Mediterranean Cratena peregrina. Without an anatomical examination, I couldn't be 100% sure but on external shape and colour I have little doubt that your animals are C. peregrina. To my knowledge, these are the first records of the species in the Indo-West Pacific. If you look at the lessepsian migration page you will see that there is a growing incursion of Indian Ocean species into the Mediterranean. I suspect if this is C. peregrina - a Mediterranean species moving into the Indian ocean - then it the result of shipping or some other human activity.

A very interesting find

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2009 (Nov 3). Comment on The Mediterranean Cratena peregrina from Mumbai, India by Apte Deepak. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22690

Factsheet

Cratena peregrina

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