Rostanga australis from Victoria, Australia
June 25, 2002
From: John Chuk
Dear Bill,
Here is an image of Rostanga australis and its egg ribbon photographed at Flinders Jetty, Victoria, Australia on 9 April 2002. The specimen measured 40mm in length and was found on a red-brown sponge at a depth of 2.5m.
The specimen differs from those I photographed in South Australia in that it has black speckling on the notum. This speckling is more concentrated in the central portion between the rhinophores and the gills. The sponge this animal was found on differs from that the species was found on in South Australia.
The egg ribbon measured 30mm in diameter and consisted of a translucent flat ribbon containing yellow eggs. It formed two whorls and had a crenulated margin.
Best wishes,
John.
jchuk@giant.net.au
Chuk, J., 2002 (Jun 25) Rostanga australis from Victoria, Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7331Thanks John,
I suspect the sponges may be colour forms of the same thing or closely related. I had the, what I thought, were quite different sponges I had found this species on in South Austarlia and Victoria identified by a sponge expert who considered them to be the same genus and perhaps the same species. As I said in your other message I suspect your flat blue sponge from South Australia is the same as my 'flask-shaped' one. Even if they are different species they are probably quite closely related.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Related messages
-
Rostanga australis from Victoria, Australia
From: John Chuk, July 2, 2003 -
Rostanga australis from South Australia
From: John Chuk, June 25, 2002 -
Rostanga australis from South Australia
From: Bill Rudman, February 8, 2002
