Flabellina cf exoptata
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Flabellinidae
PHOTO
Locality: Maldives, 15 meters, Banana reef, North Male atoll, Indian Ocean, 1 January 2008, On the reef. Length: 2 cm. Photographer: Marcel Tanke.
The rhinophores appear to have papillae on the posterior side which is the same as F. exoptata and the overall colour is very similar except for the yellow digestive gland ducts and the orange tinge all over. However the yellow colour of the digestive gland ducts is a result of the colour of the hydroids they have been eating and the orange tinge could also be a result of that as well. My major concern is that the cerata appear to be in double rows rather than the single rows normally found in F. exoptata.
Authorship detailsRudman, W.B., 2008 (July 11) Flabellina cf exoptata [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/flabcfexop
