Ceratosoma or Aegires from Indonesia

May 6, 2010
From: Franco De Lorenzi

Dear Dr Rudman
I think this is an unusual color pattern of Ceratosoma of which I never seen before, but maybe you have. Unfortunally the size is millimetric and detail are hard to see. All I can say is that it was fixed on that substrate. not knowing if it feeds algae or sponges I can't say what was feeding on. I think I can help nothing but by the photo itself.

Locality: Lembeh strait, 18 metres, Indonesia, indopacific ocean, 27 august 2009, black sand, broken coral. Length: 5 mm. Photographer: Franco De Lorenzi.

Thanks for your opinion.
Franco

cratena@tiscali.it

De Lorenzi, F., 2010 (May 6) Ceratosoma or Aegires from Indonesia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/23545

Dear Franco,

I can't really be sure but it is possibly a colour form of Ceratosoma moloch. My other thought is that it is Aegires sp. 4 from the Marshall Ids, which is also black with white-tipped tubercles - and of small size. my only doubt is that from your photo the animal seems to have large lateral lobes just in front of the gills, but that could just be an illusion.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2010 (May 6). Comment on Ceratosoma or Aegires from Indonesia by Franco De Lorenzi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/23545

Factsheet

Aegires sp. 4

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