Favorinus sp. 3 ? from East Timor

July 17, 2008
From: Brian Francisco


Hi Bill

This appears to be a Phyllodesmium that we found trapped with its eggs inside a mucus membrane. It may have no scientific relevance at all, but I couldn't resist sending it along.

Locality: Sandy Bottom, 14 metres, East Timor, Banda Sea, 13 July 2008, sandy slope. Length: 5 mm. Photographer: Brian Francisco.

Cheers
Brian

francisco.brian@gmail.com

Francisco, B., 2008 (Jul 17) Favorinus sp. 3 ? from East Timor. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21700

Dear Brian,

This is certainly an aeolid inside an egg mass but I think it is a bit big to be its own. I am pretty sure this is an aeolid which feeds on other opisthobranch's eggs. In the middle photo I have included a close-up to show a second, if somewhat obscured, specimen.

I suspect it is a species I am calling Favorinus sp. 3. However the main reason I am indentifying it as a species of Favorinus is because species of that genus feed on other sea slug eggs. It is possible when we look at its anatomy that it is not Favorinus, and that there is another group of aeolids feeding on this type of egg. Two other species on the Forum, Favorinus sp. 4 and Favorinus sp. 5, also have been found in opisthobranch egg masses.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Jul 17). Comment on Favorinus sp. 3 ? from East Timor by Brian Francisco. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21700

Factsheet

Favorinus sp. 3

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