Growth on Flabellina trilineata from California

May 8, 2009
From: John Yasaki

Concerning message #17085:

Found this Flabellina trilineata in Carmel, California on a boat dive at Outer Butterfly House.

While it's not an unusual critter in these parts, note the bulge on the dorsum, and the lack of pigmentation on the rhinophores and oral tentacles.

Locality: Carmel, 60 feet, California, USA, Carmel Bay, Pacific Ocean, 25 Apr 2009, Rock wall. Length: approx 20 mm. Photographer: John Yasaki.

John Yasaki

jyasaki@chabotcollege.edu

Yasaki, J. K., 2009 (May 8) Growth on Flabellina trilineata from California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22444

Dear John,

The swelling is where the pericardial sac is situated, and as its name suggests it is where the heart is found. In most aeolids it forms a raised hump, but it does seem excessively large in this animal. However after looking at the other photos of this species on the Forum there are a couple of messages [#10648, #14450] with photos of animals with similar large pericardial 'humps'. Why they appear to be abnormally large I can't say

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2009 (May 8). Comment on Growth on Flabellina trilineata from California by John Yasaki. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22444

Factsheet

Flabellina trilineata

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