Unknown Chelidonura from New Zealand

May 24, 2007
From: Ian Skipworth


Hi Bill

Attached are a couple of snaps of an Aglajid slug which I found recently at
the Poor Knights. Any advice you can offer on its identification would be
much appreciated.

Details are as follows:
Locality: Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand, Pacific Ocean, Depth 15m, 12 May 2007, Rocky reef, Length 7 mm, Photographer Ian Skipworth

Cheers
Ian

ianskip@xtra.co.nz

Skipworth, I., 2007 (May 24) Unknown Chelidonura from New Zealand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19932

Dear Ian,

This is a useful find. When I first saw your photos I thought the white marks on the head were part of the white W-shaped mark on the head ofChelidonura fulvipunctata, but the blue and orange bands on the posterior 'tails' were a bit flamboyant for that species and then I realised it is probably a colour form ofChelidonura hirundinina. If you look at the species Fact Sheet you will see a photo of C. hirundinina in which the blue T on the head has white 'arms', which could be the origin of the two white marks on your specimen. Although C. hirundinina usually has orange longitudinal lines on its body, if you look at some of the photos of it on the Forum you will see examples where orange spots are present in the colour pattern. In fact your earlier message #16669 shows an animal from the Kermadecs with orange spots.

This may be a clue to interpreting some of the animals I have identified as Chelidonura sp. 2 and Chelidonura sp. 6

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (May 24). Comment on Unknown Chelidonura from New Zealand by Ian Skipworth. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19932

Factsheet

Chelidonura hirundinina

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