Tambja affinis colour group

To accompany the changes and additions I have made to the Forum to accommodate the findings in Pola, Cerbera & Gosliner's recent paper on Tambja, here is a page showing an apparently quite simple means of separating the species with yellow or yellowish lines and spots. A number have a milky blue green spot between the rhinophores, two have the yellow lomgitudinal lines borderd with black, and all show considerable variation in colour. I have called them for convenience the Tambja affinis colour group.

 

While trying to identify some phoptos already on the Forum I found that they all could be separated by looking at the colours of the rhinophore club and sheath, and the banding pattern around the anterior end of the body. Please let me know if you find exceptions to this rule.

 

A. Tambja victoriae. Yellow anterior border to mantle. Large central milky -blue green patch between rhinophores. Rhinophore club dark blue (or rarely translucent yellow with dark blue tip and base). Rhinophore sheath dark blue with yellow border.

B. Tambja sp. 4.  Pale milky blue-green border to anterior mantle and secondary yellow band running parallel to anterior border between rhinophore pockets. Large central milky -blue green patch between rhinophores. Rhinophore clubs dark green-black.

C. Tambja gabrielae Yellow anterior border to mantle. Large central milky -blue green patch between rhinophores. Rhinophore club bright yellow, with dark green basal region. Rhinophore sheath dark green, no colour border.

D. Tambja affinis.  Yellow anterior border to mantle. Large central milky blue-green patch between rhinophores. Rhinophore club dark blue. Rhinophore sheath all milky blue-green.

E. Tambja olivaria  Anterior border of mantle dark green with a broad submarginal yellow band. Large central milky blue-green patch between rhinophores. Rhinophore sheath yellow with dark black or green edge. Rhinophore clubs dark green or black.

F. Tambja tentaculata  Anterior border of mantle dark green with a broad submarginal yellow band. Rhinophore sheath yellow on inner side, with dark black or green edge. Rhinophore clubs dark blue.