Flabellina exoptata? from the Red Sea

May 11, 2007
From: Darja Tjioe

Dear Bill,

This animal seems to fit Flabellina exoptata, but I am not convinced. There are loads of these in the Northern Red Sea, mainly around 30, 40 metres and living and feeding on hydroids. Is this a colour variation of F. exoptata or is it another species?

Locality: Northern Red Sea, El Gouna, 25 to 40 with exeptions, Egypt, Red Sea, 2006, 2007, Deeper, on Hydroids, shady areas like in and around wrecks. Length: 2 to 5 cm. Photographer: Darja Tjioe.

Greetings from Gouna!
Darja

tjioeke@hotmail.com

Tjioe, D.M., 2007 (May 11) Flabellina exoptata? from the Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19887

Dear Darja,
You were right to be doubtful. F. exoptata has quite distinctive papillate orange rhinophores while in your photo alongside, you can see they are smooth and purple. This is a species I am calling Flabellina sp.1. At one stage I thought it might be a form of F. rubrolineata. which sometimes lacks red lines, but again the rhinophores are wrong.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (May 11). Comment on Flabellina exoptata? from the Red Sea by Darja Tjioe. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19887

Factsheet

Flabellina sp. 1.

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