Hypselodoris kanga from Sulawesi
January 3, 2003
From: Mary Jane Adams
Hi Bill,
Here is another Hypselodoris kanga from Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. It certainly has a variable pattern of spots and lines. Even the rhinophore color is variable. It seems like each individual is custom designed. The only way I can distinguish it from H. infucata is from the yellow-spotted gills. This one is checking out a purple sponge.
Divesite: Tekat Larry,
Length: about 3-4cm,
Depth: about 10 meters, Nov. 22, 2002.
Best regards,
Mary Jane
divepng@yahoo.com
Adams, M.J., 2003 (Jan 3) Hypselodoris kanga from Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8722Dear Mary Jane,
Thanks for this photo which, as you say, shows the yellow spots on the gills very clearly. One constant difference from H. infucata is that the gills in H. kanga are triangular in cross section, which is why there is a smooth outer face on which the yellow spotted colour pattern can exist. The gills in H. infucata on the other hand are what we call 'simple'. They consist of a single plane, with lamellae on each side, the inner and outer edges being quite thin. You are right in thinking this species is rather variable in colour, especially since I've included Danny Van Belle's animals from Thailand, but there seems to be a continuum in the variability of the colour pattern. The background colour can range from dark translucent blue to white, the dark blue spots can become lines, and the rhinophores and gills can lack the orange-red colouration. But these differences seem to vary independently of each other so there is no way we could define 'subspecies' or 'colour morphs.'
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
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