Hermaea bifida
(Montagu, 1815)

Order: SACOGLOSSA
Superfamily: LIMAPONTIOIDEA
Family: Hermaeidae

PHOTO

Zeelandbrug, Oosterschelde, the Netherlands. July 30, 2000. Photo: Peter H. van Bragt.

Thompson describes animal as having a "white body with a rosy blush on the rhinophores and elsewhere on the head, the digestive gland showing through the skin red-brown". The colour tends to fade in unfed animals. There is a conspicuous brownish duct of the digestive gland down each side of the body giving off a branch to each ceras.

Feeds on red algae Griffithsia, Delesseria, and Heterosiphonia. Reported to have a distinctive smell, likened to the Geranium plant and sulphuric acid, by different authors. Grows to about 20mm.

See message below.

References:
• Montagu, G. (1815) An account of some new and rare British shells and animals. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, 11(2): 179-204.
• Thompson, T.E. (1976) Biology of Opisthobranch Molluscs. Vol 1.. Ray Society: London.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (August 4) Hermaea bifida (Montagu, 1815). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/hermbifi

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