Aegires flores
Fahey and Gosliner, 2004

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Aegiretidae

DISTRIBUTION

Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Sulawesi, the Philippine Islands, Japan

PHOTO

Upper right: CASIZ 084277, Devil’s Point, Maricaban Island, Luzon, Philippines, 10 m, collected February 1992, 5 mm. Photo: T. Gosliner. Lower left:  CASIZ 078568, Bunaken Island, Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia, 3 m, collected May 1991, 9 mm. Photo: P. Fiene. Lower right:  HOLOTYPE, CASIZ 120931, Choptop Reef, Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands, 8 m, collected August 1988, 12 mm,. Photo: S. Johnson.

The dorsum is cream color and some overlying colors that range from gray-white with yellow-topped tubercles to brown with orange-topped tubercles. There are twelve paddle-shaped tubercles around the gill and these can be translucent white with white tips or translucent yellow with darker yellow tips. The rhinophores in all color forms are translucent white as are the gill leaves. The dorsum is completely covered by small raised tubercles, some with rounded tops. There are approximately five flat-topped tubercles protecting the rhinophore pocket. This species ranges from 4–11 mm in length.

Aegires flores has a unique external morphology to other Aegires species. Most noticeable are the paddle-shaped gill appendages. The tubercles on the outside of the rhinophore pockets also resemble those around the gill, both in shape and in color. The dorsal tubercles are all much lower than the protective tubercles, a feature not shared by other Aegires species.

  • Fahey, S. J. & Gosliner, T. M. (2004) A Phylogenetic Analysis of the Aegiridae Fischer, 1883 (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Phanerobranchia) with Descriptions of Eight New Species and a Reassessment of Phanerobranch Relationships. Proceedings of the CaliforniaAcademy of Sciences, 55, (34): 613–689, 82 figs., 4 tables (Appendix).

Note: This species was previously Aegires sp. 3 on Forum

Authorship details
Fahey, S. J. & Gosliner, T. M., 2005 (July 8) Aegires flores Fahey and Gosliner, 2004. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/aegiflor

Related messages


Aegires flores from sthn Queensland

August 7, 2008
From: Gary Cobb


Concerning message #17663:

Hi Bill and everyone!
Here is a record of Aegires flores from here on the Sunshine Coast. This species is fairly common. It is found though out the reefs from Noosa to Moreton Island.

Locality: Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, 16 m, Queensland, Australia, Pacific Ocean, 02 February 2008, Subtidal. Length: 20 mm. Photographer: Gary Cobb.

Cheers
Gary Cobb

gary@nudibranch.com.au

Cobb, G.C., 2008 (Aug 7) Aegires flores from sthn Queensland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21759

Dear Gary,

Thanks for this record. Your upper photos shows just how spectacular the large Stonehenge-like ring of tubercles around the gills is. It is good that the species has such a very distinctive feature, because its very variable colour pattern might have lured someone into thinking that the different colour forms were different species.  

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Aug 7). Comment on Aegires flores from sthn Queensland by Gary Cobb. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21759

Aegires flores from Papua New Guinea

September 6, 2006
From: Nerida Wilson

Dear Bill and others,
Here is a pic of Aegires flores, and an out-of-focus one of its presumed white upright egg mass. There were three adults within a 30cm radius and there is one actually sitting right above the egg mass.

Locality: Gulewa, Misima Island, 1m, Papua New Guinea, 12 August 2006, silty, reef wall, grotto into island. Length: 15mm. Photographer: Greg Rouse.

Nerida Wilson

wilsong@auburn.edu

Wilson, N.G., 2006 (Sep 6) Aegires flores from Papua New Guinea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17663

Dear Nerida,
Thanks for the record. This is certainly at the pale end of the colour variation in this species but the yellow tips to the gills and rhinophores seem to be a positive character when present.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Sep 6). Comment on Aegires flores from Papua New Guinea by Nerida Wilson. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17663

Aegires sp. from Japan

April 30, 2002
From: Rie Nakano

Dear Dr.Rudman

This animal was found by Mr.Kotaro Tanaka and me at Hachijo Is, Japan, in March, 2002. It seems to eat the green sponge in the lower right photo. Depth: 16m, Length: 4mm
Water temperature: 19.6 degrees

Also Mr.Hideyuki Takasu found color variation of this one [upper right] in Hachijo Is. In September, 2001.
Depth: 15m, Length: unknown, Water temperature: 23 degrees(maybe).

I also found a specimen at Kerama Is. in March, 2001.(No photo). Depth: 10m, Length: 7mm, Water temperature: 20 degrees

I wonder if this is a species of Aegires?
Sincerely,
Rie Nakano

rie@divers.ne.jp

Nakano, R., 2002 (Apr 30) Aegires sp. from Japan. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6652

Note added 8 July 2005: This species has been named Aegires flores.

Dear Rie,
It certainly looks like a species of Aegires, but I don't know of a named one with this colour pattern.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Apr 30). Comment on Aegires sp. from Japan by Rie Nakano. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6652