Unidentified nudibranch from Mabul

March 3, 2006
From: David Kearnes

Could I please get help identifying this nudibranch, which was photographed by Doug Perrine at Kapalai, off Borneo in the Celebes Sea.

Locality: Kapalai, 30 ft, Borneo, Celebes Sea. Length: 3/4 inch. Photographer: Doug Perrine.

diverdave@verizon.net

Kearnes, D., 2006 (Mar 3) Unidentified nudibranch from Mabul . [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15882

Dear David and Doug,
Your photo seen here is what we have referred as Cuthona sibogae. Originally placed in the genus Hervia by Bergh, this species has become the subject of some systematic bantering. Just as boys will be boys, taxonomists will be taxonomists, and not always agree with one another.

In a recent paper by Miller and Willan (2005), propose that C. sibogae shares more characters with the long defunct genus Trinchesia and proposed the re-establishment of Trinchesia as a distinct genus.  There exists a long trail of papers switching the genus from Cuthona to Trinchesia and back. Most taxonomists today favor Cuthona. With this newest paper I am sure we can expect more banter to follow, jerking this beautiful species from one name to another.

  • Miller, M. C. & R. C. Willan.  2005.  A redescription and taxonomic reappraisal of the Indo-Pacific aeolid nudibranch Trinchesia sibogae (Bergh, 1905)(Gastropoda, Opisthobranchia).  Vita Malacologia. 3: 69-75.

Best wishes,
Dave Behrens

Behrens, D.W., 2006 (Mar 3). Comment on Unidentified nudibranch from Mabul by David Kearnes. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15882

Factsheet

Cuthona sibogae

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