Aphelodoris from South Africa

September 10, 2002
From: Lindsay Warren


Dear Bill
This is the other specimen which I mentioned in my earlier message. I thought it might be Aphelodoris brunnea. It too was found while diving off Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa earlier this year. - 24 February 2002 at 9.20am at a depth of 10m; water temp: 15C; L: 45 mm.[LCRW0009]

It differs from the other three I sent you in that the body is more spatulate at the anterior end and the rhinophore clubs are white with brown speckles. This specimen is also being registered and lodged with the
Natural History Museum, London.

However it shares a number of 'common' external features - white gills with brown markings, mantle with overall white base colour and mottled / patchy brown marks, mantle also soft to the touch with small pustules/wrinkles, white foot with mottled brown patches, same shape and proportions of rhinophore and sheaths. I suspect that these are all the same species but would very much welcome your comments.

With best wishes
Lindsay

alldcl@compuserve.com

Warren, L., 2002 (Sep 10) Aphelodoris from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7889

Dear Lindsay,
I suspect this is part of the colour variation of Aphelodoris brunnea. In southeastern Australia we have A. varia which, as its name suggests, is very variable in colour. The only way to be completely sure though is to get a resident research worker to study the biology and ecology of these animals, and their populations, over a number of years. Species of this genus seem to have very few anatomical differences. I suspect an anatomist working from a few preserved specimens could easily reach the wrong conclusion.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Sep 10). Comment on Aphelodoris from South Africa by Lindsay Warren. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7889

Factsheet

Aphelodoris brunnea

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