Re: Tritonia hamnerorum from Martinique

March 16, 2007
From: Kristen Whalen

Concerning message #19577:

Hi Bill and Stephane,
I have collected Tritonia hamnerorum from reefs around the Exuma Keys in the Bahamas. In all my collections, I have never come across any specimens with this red-orange coloration. I have examined well over 600 individuals. I haven't by any means done an exhaustive search throughout the Caribbean. Do you remember what the gorgonian looked like? T. hamnerorum has only been reported to feed on gorgonians in the genus Gorgonia. Quite interesting coloration. Reminds me of fire worms that frequent gorgonians as well.

I am looking at the gorgonian in the photograph, it is hard to tell what species it is, but it doesn't look like Gorgonia sp., it looks more like a sea plume, perhaps a Pseudopterogoria sp. perhaps.

Kristen

kwhalen@whoi.edu

Whalen, K., 2007 (Mar 16) Re: Tritonia hamnerorum from Martinique. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19673

Dear Kristen,

How is your PhD work going?[#15933].  I agree that identifying this animal with T. hamnerorum may be a bit far-fetched. Everyone who has reported it talks of hundreds, or even thousands of specimens, and none have mentioned red markings like in Stephane's single specimen. But its shape and black lines are identical, so it seems worth looking at the possibility that it is a colour form. Of course what we really need is more specimens and someone to compare their anatomy.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Mar 16). Comment on Re: Tritonia hamnerorum from Martinique by Kristen Whalen. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19673

Factsheet

Tritonia hamnerorum

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