Siphopteron not Gastropteron michaeli

September 23, 2005
From: Philibert Bidgrain


Dear Bill,
Re: your question about Siphopteron or Gastropteron michaeli.[#14792] It's a long story without solution... When I found this species in Docteur Jay's collection, I had some problems because I couldn't discover any informations in books , publications , your forum and other seaslug site ( Robert Bolland , Mike Miller Erwin Koehler, ...)
Two month ago, I found in "Museum d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris"  Gosliner's publication about this species....
For confirmation , I send this photo to Terry Gosliner. He answer that : "This is indeed what we now call Siphopteron michaeli. It is known only from La Reunion. I also have photos of the animal that I photographed when I visited Le reunion many years ago. it is quite common in shallow water under coral heads, inside the barrier reef"

So if somebody have more informations...
Best Regards
Philibert Bidgrain
http://vieoceane.free.fr/runseaslug/indexslug.htm

vieoceane@free.fr

Bidgrain, P., 2005 (Sep 23) Siphopteron not Gastropteron michaeli. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14825

Dear Philibert,
Thanks for that. My mistake! I thought Terry described Gastropteron michaeli the year after his revision in which he described the genus Siphopteron, but G. michaeli was actually described the year before, and moved to Siphopteron in that revision.  So the 'long story' does have an easy solution - your animal is indeed a species of Siphopteron.

The only external difference between the genera is that in Siphopteron there is a crest or sometimes a central rod, protruding from the end of the siphon at the posterior end of the head-shield, but sometimes it isnot that easy to see. There are however characteristic differences in the radular morphology, and reproductive system. I have changed the name on the Fact Sheet
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Sep 23). Comment on Siphopteron not Gastropteron michaeli by Philibert Bidgrain. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14825

Factsheet

Siphopteron michaeli

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