Janolus cristatus from Mediterranean

June 26, 2007
From: Dominique Horst


Hello Bill,

We've only met this beauty a few times and I find it hard not to share these shots on the forum. We find both version of colours, blue-grey and yellow-orange. Could this difference be explained by juvenile vs adult ? The blue-white is smaller.
Or food can be responsible of the coloration ?

Locality: Cap d'Antibes and Lerins Island, 18 m, France, Mediterranean sea, 24/04/2007. Length: 20 to 30mm. Photographers: Elisabeth Juan (upper photo) Dominique Horst (lower photos).

Kind regards,
Dominique

dominique.horst@wanadoo.fr

Horst, D., 2007 (Jun 26) Janolus cristatus from Mediterranean. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20026

Dear Dom,

I am not sure if anyone has studied the colour differences in this species. It could well be to do with food pigmentation. The pale animal allows us a superb view of the fine branching of the digestive gland at the tip of the cerata, and your head photo laongside shows the crest or caruncle between the rhinophores very well.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Jun 26). Comment on Janolus cristatus from Mediterranean by Dominique Horst. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20026

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Janolus cristatus

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