Melibe? from Port Philip Bay, Victoria

December 4, 2002
From: H. Thorman & A. McLaughlin

Hi.
We have a weird little fellow that we are having trouble tracking. It is a 'slug' greenish-brown in colour, about 4cm long with appendages rather like a sea hare. We caught it attached to some kelp floating in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria [Australia] last Friday (30 November 2002).

Its most peculiar feature is a balloon like basket mouth projection that it opens and closes as if casting a net to catch plankton. Around the 'net' are tiny hair like projections.
Harry Thorman and Anne McLaughlin

harry.thorman@nre.vic.gov.au

Dear Harry and Anne,
Its a bit hard too identify marine animals without a photo but your description of 'a balloon like basket mouth projection that it opens and closes as if casting a net to catch plankton' is a pretty good description of the oral hood of a species of Melibe. I suspect your animal is Melibe maugeana a species which is only known from South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania in southern Australia. Have a look at some of the other species of Melibe on the Forum:
Melibe engeli
Melibe leonina
Melibe mirifica
Melibe viridis
Tethys fimbria

Let me know if I've solved your problem, and if you have any photos of it they would be a useful addition to our knowledge
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Dec 4). Comment on Melibe? from Port Philip Bay, Victoria by H. Thorman & A. McLaughlin. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8560

Factsheet

Melibe maugeana

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    From: Harry Thorman, December 18, 2002
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