Favorinus tsuruganus from Indonesia

June 3, 2001
From: Stuart Hutchison

Bill,
Long time no speak. I can't say I have been able to find this guy in any of the books on nudibranchs - and I own most of them. Found by Melinda in 4m of water on a Tulumben [Indonesia] night dive on 24 May 2001. This animal was about 30mm long. It had a smaller mate about 20mm long which I'll scan and send you ASAP. Perhaps you can shed some light on it for us.

Regards,
Stuart

hutchco@tpg.com.au

Hutchison, S., 2001 (Jun 3) Favorinus tsuruganus from Indonesia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4476

Dear Stuart,
This is Favorinus tsuruganus. Your animal is much more heavily pigmented than most specimens I have seen. The orange on the head and the opaque white oral tentacles and white markings on the back are much more obvious than the more subtle colours seen in my photos above. The other difference is the colour in the ceratal digestive gland - usually a paler yellow rather than the reddish orange in your animal.

F. tsuruganus, like all species of Favorinus feeds on opisthobranch eggs, the colour of the digestive gland being dependent on the colour of the eggs they have been eating [see F. japonicus. It looks like your animal has been feeding on a very brightly coloured egg ribbon. I look forward to seeing the photo of the smaller animal.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Jun 3). Comment on Favorinus tsuruganus from Indonesia by Stuart Hutchison. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4476

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