Re: Hermaea variopicta, a rare species in France

September 3, 2007
From: Eric Pesme

Concerning message #15517:

Hi Bill,
During a dive in the French Mediterranean spot "Le Chaouen", a big wreck close to Le Planier island in Marseille Bay, I saw this very little seaslug (between 3 and 5 mm approximately). It seems to be Hermaea variopicta, according to the factsheet of this species. Could you confirm ?

Locality: Le Chaouen, ile de Planier, Marseille, 20 m, France, Mediterranean, 21 July 2007, on a wreck. Length: 5 mm. Photographer: Eric Pesme.

Do you think the number of cerata is only growing with individual length ? Among the photos on the seaslug forum, the Atlantic ones seems to have more cerata than Mediterranean ones, but Mediterranean individuals represented are also smaller and there are only few individuals to compare...
I hope it will be interesting to improve distribution knowledge in Mediterranean.

Thank you for all.
Eric Pesme

eric_pesme@yahoo.fr

Pesme, E., 2007 (Sep 3) Re: Hermaea variopicta, a rare species in France. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20608

Dear Eric,

Yes this is Hermaea variopicta. Its colour pattern is very distinctive. The cerata in sacoglossans and aeolids do increase in number as the animal grows in size. We have few records of this species, so every new bit of information is valuable.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Sep 3). Comment on Re: Hermaea variopicta, a rare species in France by Eric Pesme. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20608

Factsheet

Hermaea variopicta

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