Re: John Chuk's Janolus cf. novozealandicus

June 10, 2001
From: Richard Willan

Dear Bill,
In preparing pages on zephyrinids for the Forum could I add this comment on John Chuk's photo from Victoria which you have likened to Janolus novozealandicus. J. novozealandicus only occurs in New Zealand. When Michael Miller and I reviewed the New Zealand species of Janolus, the Australian species that is most closely related to it had not been discovered. This species, which has only been found in Victoria, and is probably much more bryozoan-faithful than J. novozealandicus, is the one John Chuk photographed at Portsea Pier and it is currently included on the Sea Slug Forum as Janolus cf. novozealandicus. It should be given a new species number because it has not received a scientific name yet. In comparison to J. novozealandicus, this Australian species has plumper cerata with many more pustules (they can easily be seen with the naked eye), including those on the upper third and, most distinctively, the pustule at the top of each ceras is enlarged and flattened at the tip so that it resembles a miniature suction cup. Internally, the tip of the digestive diverticulum is white, not gold as in J. novozealandicus.

References:
• Willan, R.C. & Coleman, N. (1984) Nudibranchs of Australasia. Australasian Marine Photographic Index, Caringbah, Sydney, 56 pp.
• Miller, M.C. & Willan, R.C. (1986) A review of the New Zealand arminacean nudibranchs (Opisthobranchia: Arminacea). New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 13: 377-408.

Richard Willan

Richard.Willan@nt.gov.au

Willan, R.C., 2001 (Jun 10) Re: John Chuk's Janolus cf. novozealandicus. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4541

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