Trapania darvelli from South China Sea

May 30, 2007
From: Richard Swann

Hi Bill

This tiny guy has puzzled me ! My best guess is Thecacera spp possibly a juvenile T. pacifica but it doesn't seem quite right so really i have no idea.

Locality: West Sulug Island, 16 meters, Sabah, Borneo, South China Sea, 1st May 2007, Reef slope, outreef. Length: Approx 4-5mm. Photographer: Richard Swann.

Can you help ?

Best regards
Richard
www.downbelow.co.uk

richard@downbelow.co.uk

Swann, R., 2007 (May 30) Trapania darvelli from South China Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19959

Dear Richard,
This is another nice find. Its identical in colour to a species from Hong Kong which I named Trapania darvelli. We have a couple of later messages which may be that species but I am not sure, so it is good to get a record which I can confidently say is T. darvelli.

Species of Thecacera do look somewhat similar to species of Trapania with lateral papillae alongside the gills and the rhinophores. However in Thecacera the papilla alongside the gills are usuall long straight and erect, while in Trapania they are recurved and are held out horizontally from the body.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (May 30). Comment on Trapania darvelli from South China Sea by Richard Swann. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19959

Factsheet

Trapania darvelli

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