Aglajidae
- general discussion
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (June 19) Aglajidae - general discussion. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/aglajidae
Related messages
Aglajidae on the Great Barrier Reef
June 21, 2002
From: Margie Atkinson
Hi,
Just wondering if anyone can give me some idea of the relative abundance of all species belonging to the family Aglajidae at Lizard Island, Magnetic Island and Heron/Wistari reefs [Great Barrier Reef]. Also, has there been much work done on the phylogeny of this family and the mating systems? Any help would be much appreciated!
Margie Atkinson
m.atkinson@gbrmpa.gov.au
Atkinson, M., 2002 (Jun 21) Aglajidae on the Great Barrier Reef. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7300Dear Margie,
I see from your email address that you are associated with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. If the Authority would like to fund opisthobranch survey work on the Reef I am sure there would be many willing applicants for funds. The appearance, and abundance, of most opisthobranchs at any one site on the reef is very irregular, differing from year to year and presumably from month to month in any one year. With that in mind I think it would be very difficult to compare relative abundances between species without a fairly exhaustive and lengthy survey program. Marshall & Willan (1999) record specimens sighted at Heron Island over a number of years during short visits to the island, but I know of no systematic survey of presence or abundance on the Reef. I presume you realise that the Forum is more than just this message list? If you go to the SPECIES LIST you will find a list of the aglajids which are on the Forum, many with records from the Reef. I would be very interested in learning of your research interests.
Concerning work done on the phylogeny of this family and their reproductive system - have a look at the following papers. All are between 20 and 30 years old, but I am sure the aglajids haven't evolved much in that time.
• Gosliner, T.M. (1980) Systematics and phylogeny of the Aglajidae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 68(4): 325-360.
• Rudman, W.B. (1972) A comparative study of the genus Philinopsis Pease, 1860. (Aglajidae, Opisthobranchia). Pacific Science, 26(4): 381-99, 15 figs, 1 plate.
• Rudman, W.B. (1972): On Melanochlamys Cheeseman, 1881, a genus of the Aglajidae (Opisthobranchia: Gastropoda). Pacific Science, 26: 50-62.
• Rudman, W.B. (1972) Structure and functioning on the gut of the Bullomorpha (Opisthobranchia). Part 4. Aglajidae. Journal of Natural History, 6(5): 547-560.
• Rudman, W.B. (1974) A comparison of Chelidonura, Navanax and Aglaja with other genera of the Aglajidae (Opisthobranchia, Gastropoda). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 54(3): 185-212.
• Rudman, W.B. (1978) A new species and genus of the Aglajidae and the evolution of the philinacean opisthobranch molluscs. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 62: 89-107.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
