Mystery from Puget Sound, Washington

May 7, 2003
From: Melissa

I do research in northern Puget Sound, Washington. I am not a marine, but estuarine expert. In the field yesterday, I came across a nudibranch-type specimen that I have not been able to find in any of my hard copy or online field guides or keys.

I was in knee-deep, soft-substrate intertidal habitat when I spotted two soft-bodied, transparent, purple colored molluscs of the same species. The larger of the two measured about 10 cm in length. It had three (gills?) round but dorsal-ventrically compressed appendages on each side, mid body. It's tail was classic nudibranch shaped, but the anterior end was hollow and ring-shaped, also dorsal-ventrically compressed. It swam using lateral head/tail movements; the smaller one was not so active. It surfaced and swam to the bottom (shallow water), where the benthic surface was spotted with green algae.
Melissa

melissab@lummi-nsn.gov

Dear Melissa,
The only thing I can think of which fits your description is Melibe leonina, but I don't know if I would describe its colour as purple although I guess the iridescent sheen which appears on the skin in certain lights, could be described as purple. Let me know if I've guessd correctly
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (May 7). Comment on Mystery from Puget Sound, Washington by Melissa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9837

Factsheet

Melibe leonina

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