Spurilla major from Queensland

September 17, 2000
From: Nerida Wilson


This nudibranch was collected in intertidal seagrass near Wynnum, Moreton Bay, Queensland, August 23, 2000 [Australia]. It looks a bit like other Austraeolis ornata that were collected in the same region, but the ceratal markings are a bit different, and it lacks the blue pigment that the others had.
What do you think?

Nerida Wilson

nwilson@zen.uq.edu.au

Wilson, N., 2000 (Sep 17) Spurilla major from Queensland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3015

Dear Nerida,
This is Spurilla major. You can say the tubercules on the rhinophores. If you look very carefully you can see the brown speckling through the skin, which is caused by the fine branches of the digestive gland packed with the single-celled plants (zooxanthellae) which it keeps alive in its tissues. Have a look at the Solar powered Sea Slug page for more background information.

This species probably feeds on sea anemones, and like many of its relatives, is able to break off its cerata very easily if disturbed.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Sep 17). Comment on Spurilla major from Queensland by Nerida Wilson. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3015

Factsheet

Spurilla major

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