Hermaea bifida from France
February 7, 2001
From: Jean Pierre Bielecki
Dear Bill
Thank you for the identification of the blue chromodorid, it is what we were thinking it was. And now I have two other species without identification, please could you help me again?
The first was found in Mediterranean Sea (December 2000, dive site : Etang de Thau, Sète, South of France, Depth 3m, Size 15mm completely mimetic with algae of the same colour).
I will send the second species in a separate message
Best wishes
Jean Pierre Bielecki
bielecki.jeanpierre@free.fr
Bielecki, J.P., 2001 (Feb 7) Hermaea bifida from France. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3722Dear Jean Pierre
This is probably Hermaea bifida. If you have a look at Lucas Cervera's earlier message, there is another similar species, H. boucheti which has been described which is differs in having a white patch over the pericardium, just behind the head. I can't see any sign of a white patch in your animal.
Species of Hermaea, as you note are extremely well camouflaged on the algae they live and feed on. The reason their colour is identical is that they take the algal plastids, which contain the plant pigments, and keep them alive in their own bodies.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Related messages
-
Hermaea bifida - Norway
From: Bjørnar Nygård, April 9, 2010 -
Hermaea bifida? from the Scapa Flow
From: Stefanie Buell, April 24, 2008 -
Hermaea bifida from the Scottish west coast.
From: Jim Anderson, May 26, 2005 -
Hermaea from Mediterranean
From: Jean-Pierre Bielecki , May 26, 2001 -
More photos of Hermaea bifida
From: Peter H. van Bragt , September 30, 2000 -
Re: Hermaea bifida from the Netherlands????
From: Juan Lucas Cervera, August 25, 2000 -
Re: new species for the Netherlands????
From: Peter H. van Bragt, August 9, 2000 -
Re: A new species for the Netherlands????
From: Juan Lucas Cervera, August 6, 2000 -
A new species for the Netherlands????
From: Peter H. van Bragt, August 5, 2000