Flabellina sp. 6

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Flabellinidae

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from Atlantic coast of  north-eastern USA.

PHOTO

Eastport, Maine, USA. Atlantic Ocean. Depth: 12 to 25 metres, Length: 60 mm, 18 July 2004. Lower photo showing animal feeding on solitary hydroid Corymorpha pendula. Photographer: Alan Shepard

Lives in water deeper than 12 metres of water, on sandy mud populated by the solitary hydroid, Corymorpha pendula Agassiz, 1862. Recognised by Kuzirian (1969) as a distinct species but never named. Grows to at least 65 mm in length. He stated that as well as being found only in deeper water and feeding on Corymorpha pendula, it showed remarkably rapid growth rates, had multiple eggs per capsule, and at least 2 generations per year.

  • Bleakney, J.S. (1996) Sea Slugs of Atlantic Canada and the Gulf of Maine. Nimbus Publishing & Nova Scotia Museum: Halifax, Nova Scotia 1996. 216 pages.
  • Kuzirian, A.M. (1979) Taxonomy and biology of four New England coryphellid nudibranchs. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 45: 239-261.
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2004 (December 31) Flabellina sp. 6 [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/flabsp6

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