Colour forms of Hyps. obscura mating

November 28, 1998
From: Akos Lumnitzer

Dear Bill,
I dive regularly near the entrance to Botany Bay, Sydney and wondered if this photo of mating nudibranchs was of interest. It was taken on the east side of Bare Island, La Perouse, Sydney, in September 1998. I saw the animals there for 7-10 days then they disappeared.

Akos Lumnitzer.

AKOS72@hotmail.com

Lumnitzer, A., 1998 (Nov 28) Colour forms of Hyps. obscura mating. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/335

Thanks for the photo Akos, and for the others which I will put on the site as soon as possible. The most interesting thing is that it seems to be pretty good evidence that these two colour "forms" are the same species. Years ago I compared them anatomically and found no good differences but because they look so different in colour I had put them in the "too hard" basket to deal with later.

This is the sort of important observation that recreational divers and other "non-professionals" can make. As I have said before, photos of animals feeding, laying eggs etc are very welcome for the Sea Slug Forum as they will help us build up some of the basic natural history information which is so sadly lacking.

I have also posted information on and pictures of two very similarly coloured species, Hypselodoris saintvincentius and Hypselodoris infucata.

Thanks again,
Bill Rudman.

NOTE ADDED Nov 30: See Mike Miller's photo of mating Hypselodoris infucata .

Rudman, W.B., 1998 (Nov 28). Comment on Colour forms of Hyps. obscura mating by Akos Lumnitzer. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/335

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