Trapania aurata?? with eggs Ningaloo

February 28, 2006
From: Kristin Anderson

Here is a photo of Trapania aurata. Are these eggs from this little guy?

Locality: Exmouth Gulf, 18m, Western Australia, Exmouth Gulf, Ningaloo Reef, 09 January 2004, tidal, silty bottom, small coral outcrops, large sponges. Length: 1.5 cms. Photographer: Kristin Anderson

Kristin Anderson

kristin@OceansByAnderson.com

Anderson, K.J., 2006 (Feb 28) Trapania aurata?? with eggs Ningaloo. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15844

Dear Kristin,
I don't think this is T.aurata, or for that matter another species from Western Australia that I am calling Trapania cf. aurata. Your animal, with white gills, orange rhinophore clubs, the whole of the lateral processes orange, and at least the posterior tip of the and the oral tentacles orange, is quite different in colour from those two species. I guess it is another unnamed species.

Concerning the egg ribbon. I remember finding a similar egg mass disorganised egg mass with some Trapania aurata I found in New Caledonia, so it is possible the eggs belong to your animal, but I can't be sure.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Feb 28). Comment on Trapania aurata?? with eggs Ningaloo by Kristin Anderson. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15844

Factsheet

Trapania sp. 8

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