Re: Chromodoris cavae from Reunion Island?

Dear Hugues,
Thanks for this quick reponse. Most of the messages I am posting today refer to the "Risbecia tryoni group" from the Indian Ocean, in particular Chromodoris cf geminus, C. tennentana and C. cavae. As I hope my separate discussion on colour variation in C. cavae  [message #19876 ] will explain, I am now pretty sure this animal is a form of C. cavae which also suggests that C. cf. geminus is also a form of C. cavae rather than a different species. I guess the most conspicuous difference is that the animals from Sth Africa which I initially called Chromodoris cf. geminus have much more purple in the rhinophore club than your animal, and the gills are edged with purple. However if you look at Marina Poddubetskaia's photos from Mauritius [#8271] we find an animal with gills and rhinophores halfway between those from South Africa and those from Reunion Is.

I know your animal looks rather different from the one in your recent message [#19851], but I think your photos and those of Philibert Bidgrain from Reunion Is. go along way towards showing us how the two extremes merge into one species. I could of course be quite wrong so don't hesitate to send me photos which show I am wrong - though it would be nice to get some photos showing different colour forms mating - or anyone laying eggs or eating a sponge.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman