Dirona aurantia from British Columbia

June 5, 2000
From: Marli Wakeling

Note added December 2006: This species is now known as Dirona pellucida Volodchenko, 1941.

Hi Bill,

Here is a photo ofDirona aurantia. This beautiful animal is prevalent in the spring in British Columbia [Canada]. Reaching lengths of 10 cm., it reacts to divers by swelling its cerata. There is another nudibranch that mimics this one, but it is new and undescribed;  in fact it is a Janolus sp.  One can tell the difference from the liver coloured digestive tract...otherwise identical.  I have not seen one, but they have been found in Alaska and on the Sechelt Penninsula, B.C.

Marli Wakeling

scubamarli@excite.com

Wakeling, M., 2000 (Jun 5) Dirona aurantia from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2500

Dear Marli,
This is indeed a beautiful animal. Have you any idea what this species feeds on? Anne Hurst in her description of this species says that it contained hydroids, bryozoans and crustaceans in its gut and in aquaria lived quite well as a scavenger. She obviously didn't have the benefit of observing the animals in their natural environment so any information on where you find them would be of interest. I also note that another species from your part of the world, Dirona albolineata was reported to feed on a number of species of snails (Robilliard, 1971).

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

References:
• Hurst, A (1966) A description of a new species of Dirona from the north-east Pacific. The Veliger 9(1): 9-15.
• Robilliard, G.A. Predation by the nudibranch Dirona albolineata on three species of Prosobranchs. Pacific Science, 25(3): 429-435.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Jun 5). Comment on Dirona aurantia from British Columbia by Marli Wakeling. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2500

Factsheet

Dirona pellucida

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