Setoeolis inconspicua
(Baba, 1938)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Glaucidae

PHOTO

Echizen-coast Wakasa Bay, Japan, 4 m, 10 July 2002. Upper: approx 17mm long., Lower: approx 12mm long. Photos: Jun Imamoto.

Oral tentacles slender, rhinophores irregularly wrinkled or weakly annulate. The cerata are arranged in large horseshoe-shaped clusters. Baba describes head and body as 'pale orange-yellow with a white line on oral tentacles' but photos here show that there can be a series of opaque white bands, or rows of patches or spots on the head and tentacles. The ceratal wall can be translucent clear with little pigmentation or can have quite a dense covering of opaque bluish white obscuring the brown digestive gland duct. At the top of the cerata there is a subapical yellow band. Below this is a transparent region through which the dark brown or purple tip of the digestive gland duct can be seen and then there is a bright blue or bluish purple band. Baba (1965) examined further specimens of this species and noted its anatomical similarity to Godiva quadricolor but noted it lacked the apical hook on the penis characteristic of the genus Godiva. On the basis of this difference he erected a new genus Setoeolis from this species.

From the photos on the Forum this is quite variable in colour. One consistent feature appears to be the ceratal colouration with a subapical yellow band, below which is a transparent region through which the dark brown or reddish brown tip of the digestive gland duct can be seen, then below this a blue or bluish-purple band. Below this band the cerata wall can be transparent, or have scattered white patches or be almost completely covered in white dusting.

References:
• Baba, K. (1938) Opisthobranchia of Kii, Middle Japan. Journal of the Department of Agriculture. Kyusyu Imperial University, 6(1): 1-19.
• Baba, K. & Hamatani, I. (1965) The anatomy of Sakuraeolis enosimensis (Baba, 1930), n. g. (=Hervia ceylonica (?) Eliot, 1913) (Nudibranchia - Eolidoidea). Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 13(2): 103-113, Pls.VIII-X

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (July 17) Setoeolis inconspicua (Baba, 1938). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/setoinco

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