Pleurobranchaea brockii
Bergh, 1897

Order: NOTASPIDEA
Superfamily: PLEUROBRANCHOIDEA
Family: Pleurobranchidae

DISTRIBUTION

Indo-West Pacific, but few confirmed records (Japan, South Africa, eastern Australia).

PHOTO

Camp Cove, Sydney Harbour, [New South Wales, Australia] at 4m on sandy bottom, 24 February, 2000. approx 7cm long. Photos: Erik Schloegl

The mantle is translucent clear with a reticulate pattern of brown encircling the white-tipped 'mamillae' (breast-like tubercles) which cover the mantle - see inset in bottom photo. The foot is a dark brown with opaque white patches. There is a posteriorly facing dorsal spur on the posterior tip of the foot. The oral veil has about 16 ventrally projecting sensory papillae, reminiscent of the oral veil in Euselenops luniceps. Species of Pleurobranchaea are carnivorous hunters, probably eating a wide variety of prey items. Little is known of the diet of individual species although Marcus & Gosliner (1984) report finding a 65mm long (preserved?) specimen of P. brocki with 4 specimens (longest 18mm) of Philine aperta in its stomach. It grows to over 120mm long.

References:
• Bergh, L.S.R. (1897). Malacologische Untersuchungen. In: C.G. Semper, Reisen
im Archipel der Philippinen, Wissenschaftliche Resultate. Band 7, Heft 1-2
(Die Pleurobranchiden): 1-115, Pls. 1-8.
• Marcus, E. & Gosliner, T.M. (1984) Review of the family Pleurobranchaeidae (Mollusca, Opisthobranchia). Annals of the South African Museum, 93(1): 1-52.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (March 27) Pleurobranchaea brockii Bergh, 1897. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/pleubroc

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