Sacoglossan - algal mimic

December 19, 2002
From: Bruce Potter

Dear Bill,
I did a dive on the outskirts of Honiara, Solomon Islands yesterday [8 December 2002], and came across this little critter. There are many weeds and grasses among the coral and rubble on this particular site, and I am always looking for slugs that mimic their surroundings.

I had great difficulty actually convincing myself that I had a slug when I first saw this one. Then it moved, and I saw the rhinophores, and I was convinced. It was about 25mm long, and I found it at 16 meters deep.I have not been able to find it in any of my books.

Regards
Bruce Potter

bruce.potter@adventist.org.sb

Potter, B., 2002 (Dec 19) Sacoglossan - algal mimic. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8628

Dear Bruce,
I am glad you photographed the rhinophores, or I would also have had difficulty in accepting its animal nature. From the branching in the rhinophores I would suspect that this is a sacoglossan. It has similarities to Stiliger smaragdinus but in that species the rhinophores are proportionally larger, they are white tipped, and don't show any branching ducts.

Hopefully Kathe Jensen hasn't frozen solid with her move from Thailand back to northern Europe, and can give us some comments
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Dec 19). Comment on Sacoglossan - algal mimic by Bruce Potter. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8628

Factsheet

Ercolania sp. 4

Related messages

  1. Re: Sacoglossan - algal mimic
    From: Kathe R. Jensen, December 23, 2002

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