Plocamopherus lucayensis
Hamann & Farmer, 1988

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Polyceridae
Subfamily: Triophinae

DISTRIBUTION

Known from a few Caribbean records - Bahamas (Hamann & Farmer, 1988), Curacao (Valdes et al, 2006), Florida (message #22479).

PHOTO

Locality: Lake Worth Lagoon, 15 feet, Florida, USA, Atlantic, 25 April 2009, Tidal, intracoastal. Length: 1.5 inches. Photographer: Linda Ianniello.

The animal is a translucent reddish brown with scattered white papillae of varying sizes all over the body. Most papillae have a basal ring of dark brown to purple. The number of papillae vary in different specimens. In shape, the body is similar to other species of the genus with a lateral ridge around the anterior end of the body which bears papillae with multiple branches at the tip. These papillae are white with a purple to dark brown basal ring. In descriptions and photos I have seen, there appears to be only one pair of large lateral papillae present in this species situated on either side of the gills. They are the same orange - brown colour of the body, except for a white tip and subterminal purple - dark brown band.

It is reported to grow to at least 40 mm in length. Hamann & Farmer report they did not see their animals either swimming or emitting light from the lateral papillae. Valdes et al (2006) report that it produces flashes of light when disturbed.

• Hamann, J. C. and W. M. Farmer. 1988. Two new species of Plocamopherus from the western warm water Atlantic The Veliger, 31 68-74.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2009 (May 27) Plocamopherus lucayensis Hamann & Farmer, 1988. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/plocluca

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