Re: Flabellina gracilis? from New York

August 29, 1999
From: Terry Gosliner

Dear Bill,
I am pretty certain that the specimens that Betsey photographed and that you tentatively identified as Flabellina gracilis are indeed that species.

The main external characteristics for differentiating it from F. verrucosa is that the cerata are more distinctly arranged in rows in F. gracilis and there is a more prominent vestige of a notal brim in F. gracilis. Also F. gracilis has a sort of notched head between the junction of the oral tentacles and more elongate anterior margins of the foot. It is a bit difficult to see all these details in Betsey's photos, but I think that is what she has. Also she mentions that these animals were smaller than F. verrucosa, which is the case.

Alan Kuzirian's review of those species (I think that it was published in J. Moll. Stud. in about 1979) really clarified much of this historical confusion.
Terry

tgosline@calacademy.org

Factsheet

Flabellina gracilis

Related messages

  1. Flabellina gracilis from Maine, USA
    From: Alan Shepard, August 28, 2003
  2. Flabellina gracilis from Scotland
    From: Jim Anderson, May 27, 2002
  3. Flabellina gracilis & F. browni
    From: Bernard Picton , July 22, 2001
  4. Flabellina gracilis from the Netherlands
    From: Peter H. van Bragt, September 4, 1999
  5. Flabellina gracilis
    From: Erwin Koehler, August 31, 1999
  6. Flabellina gracilis? from NY
    From: Betsey Hansen, August 27, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages