Help to id slug

December 28, 2000
From: Chris Stephens

I'm trying to find an id for a nudibranch which has mysteriously appeared in my 120 gallon reef tank, it must have come in with some rock. The original live rock was added back in October and the last addition, a Sarcophyton, was made a few weeks ago so I'm quite surprised we haven't seen it before.

Alas, I didn't have the digi cam at the time and it hasn't been since it's brief appearance yesterday. It is about 1.25 inches long, jet black except for the white tips to it's eye stalks (?) and it had a translucent underside. It's body was completely smooth apart from the eye stalks and the bump at the back. I know it's not much to go on but any suggestions would be appreciated, I'll keep the camera ready for it's next appearance.

I'm aware that they do not fare well in captivity and I would never purposely do anything to remove them from their natural environment, but now I have it it would be great to id it.

Many thanks,
Chris Stephens

chris@chrisreef.co.uk

Stephens, C., 2000 (Dec 28) Help to id slug. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3448

Dear Chris,
It's a bit hard to identify your animal from your description but here are three possibilities.

If it definitely is a slug, that is there is no shell and what you call 'eyestalks' are really rhinophores, then the most likely animal you have is Dendrodoris nigra or Dendrodoris fumata. These species both have colour forms which can be completely black except for white tips to the rhinophores. Another thing to check is whether they have a circle of gills on their back.

If you get a chance to touch your mystery animal on the back you may find that it has two black flaps which cover a snail shell. Your mention of the soft coral Sarcophyton suggests the egg cowry Ovula ovum. I don't have a photo of it handy but have a look at the page on ovulids for some background information.

My third suggestion would be Scutus, another snail with a hidden shell, which you see from the correspondence is a common hitch-hiker on 'live rock'.

I can't say much more until you can photograph your animal, or prod it to see if is has a shell or not. [I am not sure how familiar you are with we pages, but if you click on any of the words I have underlined it will take you to a relevant page].
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Dec 28). Comment on Help to id slug by Chris Stephens. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3448

Factsheet

Dendrodoris nigra

Related messages

  1. Re: Dendrodoris nigra - hitchhiking again
    From: Kevin A Mitchell, March 19, 2010
  2. Re: Dendrodoris nigra from New Zealand
    From: Bill Rudman, October 27, 2009
  3. Dendrodoris nigra? from New Zealand
    From: Graham Bould, October 27, 2009
  4. Re: Big Black Slug in my aquarium
    From: Shelly Craigie, December 4, 2007
  5. Re: Orange form of Dendrodoris nigra from Reunion
    From: Hugues Flodrops, December 4, 2007
  6. Big Black Slug in my aquarium
    From: Shelly Craigie, December 3, 2007
  7. Dendrodoris nigra from the Seychelles Ids
    From: David Barnes, August 25, 2007
  8. Dendrodoris nigra colour variation from Reunion Island ?
    From: Philibert Bidgrain, May 15, 2007
  9. Dendrodoris nigra & eggs from Lord Howe Is.
    From: Ian Hutton, February 25, 2004
  10. Dendrodoris nigra (?) from Mayotte
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia, December 3, 2003
  11. Dendrodoris nigra - egg ribbon
    From: Rachel Przeslawski, March 20, 2003
  12. Unknown black sea slug in aquarium
    From: Nate C., February 16, 2003
  13. Dendrodoris nigra - hitchhiking again
    From: Jeff Lord, February 4, 2003
  14. Dendrodoris nigra from Lord Howe Island
    From: W.B. Rudman, January 27, 2003
  15. Solid black nudibranch in aquarium
    From: Jennie, December 18, 2002
  16. Black Slug? in aquarium
    From: Durwin Gin, December 7, 2002
  17. Red form of Dendrodoris nigra
    From: Valda Fraser, June 10, 2002
  18. Dendrodoris nigra from Christmas Island
    From: W.B. Rudman, May 16, 2002
  19. Dendrodoris nigra from Philippines
    From: Jeff Rosenfeld , June 14, 2001
  20. Re: Solid Black Nudibranch
    From: Nathan Paden , April 13, 2001
  21. Solid Black Nudibranch
    From: Nathan Paden, April 11, 2001
  22. Dendrodoris nigra from Saudi Arabia
    From: Gordon T. Smith, February 6, 2001
  23. Dendrodoris nigra feeding
    From: Chris Benson, January 9, 2001
  24. Dendrodoris nigra feeding
    From: J. Kennedy, January 9, 2001
  25. Thanks For Help
    From: Chris Stephens, December 29, 2000
  26. Another Samoan nudibranch
    From: Don Barclay, August 29, 2000
  27. Dendrodoris nigra from Sulawesi
    From: Lindsay Warren, July 25, 2000
  28. Dendrodoris nigra from South Africa
    From: Valda Fraser, July 8, 2000
  29. Black nudibranch
    From: Eric Jensen, April 10, 2000
  30. Dendrodoris nigra
    From: katabyss, January 28, 2000
  31. Pages on Dendrodoris nigra & D. fumata
    From: Bill Rudman., August 19, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages