Mexichromis festiva from Heron Island

September 27, 2001
From: Julie Marshall


Dear Bill,
To add to your discussion on the differences between Mexichromis festiva and M. mariei here are photos of two animals from Heron Island [Great Barrier Reef, Queensland]. The reddish purple spots on the mantle are either flat or on a very slightly rounded hump unlike the pointed tubercles on M. mariei. I have found 8 specimens of Mexichromis festiva at Heron Island and all have an almost continuous golden marginal band rather than a band made of golden spots. All animals have been found at the reef crest under dead coral slabs at low tide. The pictured animals were 13 and 15 mm in size.

Best wishes,
Julie Marshall

j.marshall@latrobe.edu.au

Marshall, J., 2001 (Sep 27) Mexichromis festiva from Heron Island. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5068

Thanks Julie,
Yes, despite the continuous yellow-orange border, these look like M. festiva to me. Heron Island, at the extreme southern end of the Great Barrier Reef seems to be the northern limit of a number of so-called New South Wales endemics. (or at least the furthest north we have records of them).
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Sep 27). Comment on Mexichromis festiva from Heron Island by Julie Marshall. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5068

Factsheet

Mexichromis festiva

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