Flabellina trilineata juveniles

March 23, 2004
From: Sean Kearney

Dear Bill
Following my last message [#12493 ], here are photos of the Cuthona?. They were also found in 65fsw off of Pt. Loma, San Diego, California. [March 2004].

It is a mystery to me. I studied the small one (1 to 1.5mm) under a scope and made a few notes: the rhinophores appeared plain and well separated, about the same length as the oral tentacles. A white encrustation occurred on the oral tentacles forming a line down the center of the dorsum just short of the tip of the tail. A white encrustation occurred on both sides just past the first group of cerata extending to the tip of the tail. The three lines very similar to Flabellina trilineata. The sausage shaped cerata had light brown cores and were grouped on opposite sides at the dorsal margin. The first group seemed to have four to five cerata (left side) second group four, third group two, fourth group two, and the fifth was a single. The cerata on the right side were just slightly offset to the anterior end of the group opposite on the left side. On each group the largest ceras was toward the rear of the group. The eyes were midway between the rhinophores and the first group of cerata. The head was rounded and cleft from a front view and the foot did not seem to have much of a margin beyond the width of the animal. It too was indented in the middle (from front view). Body was translucent grey. Fast moving for such a little guy.

Thanks,
Sean Kearney

skearney@dc.rr.com

Kearney, S., 2004 (Mar 23) Flabellina trilineata juveniles. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12494

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