Aglajid sp. 9
Order: CEPHALASPIDEA
Superfamily: PHILINOIDEA
Family: Aglajidae
PHOTO
Eilat, Village Beach, Israel, Red Sea (Gulf of Eilat). Depth: 4 m. Length: 15 mm (18 mm when stretched out). 11 July 2005 (night). sand and rubble slope. Photographer: Binyamin and Shulamit Koretz
Thsi has similarities to the Aglajidae and the Gastropteridae. Anatomical and shell information necessary to resolve its relationships.
Authorship detailsRudman, W.B., 2005 (October 17) Aglajid sp. 9 [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/aglajidsp9
Related messages
Pink aglajid from East Timor
July 24, 2008
From: Brian Francisco
Hi Bill
We spotted this pink aglajid last night at one of our favorite dive sites. It didn't look familiar and it doesn't seem to be in my reference materials. Can you help us identify it?
Locality: Sandy Botton, 16 meters, East Timor, Banda Sea, 30 November 2006, sandy slope. Length: 2-3 cm. Photographer: Brian Francisco.
Thanks very much
Brian
www.uwet.net
francisco.brian@gmail.com
Francisco, B., 2008 (Jul 24) Pink aglajid from East Timor. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18825
Dear Brian,
This is what I am calling aglajid sp. 9. We have records on the Forum from the Red Sea and Indonesia but as we know nothing of its anatomy I can only guess at it generic relationships.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Another Aglajid sp. 9 from Indonesia
June 14, 2007
From: Rokus Groeneveld
Dear Bill,
After roaming your website a friend finally found the messages from Binyamin Koretz, concerning Aglajid sp. 9, both from the Red Sea .
As you probably see on the picture, there is a great similarity between my animal and Binyamin's.
Are we looking at another Aglajid sp. 9 from somewhere else? or is this another type? In this one it also looks like there's a shell inside, but of course I did not have a 'closer' look.
Locality: Jahir, Lembeh Strait, about 10 meters, Indonesia, Celebes Sea, 25 october 2006, black sandy bottom. Length: ca. 15 mm.. Photographer: Rokus Groeneveld.
Best regards,
Rokus G.
rosa12@wxs.nl
Groeneveld, R, 2007 (Jun 14) Another Aglajid sp. 9 from Indonesia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19293Dear Rokus,
Yes I would say this is probably the same as Binyamin's species. The very high tentacular point to the posterior edge of the head shield is most unusual. The white mass inside the animal looks as though it could be a shell, but I suspect it is part of the visceral mass. Most aglajids have a thin flattened shell which is almost totally uncalcified and lies above the visceral mass. So in your animal I would think that a shell, if present, would be a thin layer you can't see, above that white mass.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Another 'Aglajid sp 9' from the Red Sea
April 5, 2006
From: Binyamin Koretz
Dear Bill,
It occurred to me that with an a unknown species such as this it would be worth adding the sighting of a second specimen of 'Aglajid sp. 9' to your record. As you can see, it has the same very high headshield horn, and is a bit darker than the 1st sighting, with the same overall color pattern. And while you can see the shell through the translucent skin, I'm pretty sure there's no hole there.
Locality: Eilat, Village Beach, 17 m, Israel, Red Sea, 29 October 2005, sand and rubble slope. Length: 15 mm. Photographer: Binyamin and Shulamit Koretz.
Best regards
Binyamin
binyamin@koretz.net
Koretz, B., 2006 (Apr 5) Another 'Aglajid sp 9' from the Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16495
Dear Binyamin,
Thanks for another sighting. If it were not in a marine reserve I would ask if you could collect some specimens.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Philinopsis ? from Eilat, Red Sea
October 19, 2005
From: Binyamin Koretz
Dear Bill,
This one looks to us like a Philinopsis sp, with a very high, tapered headshield 'horn'. I'm not sure it comes across in the photos, but it was quite translucent.
Locality: Eilat, Village Beach, Israel, Red Sea (Gulf of Eilat). Depth: 4 m. Length: 15 mm (18 mm when stretched out). 11 July 2005 (night). sand and rubble slope. Photographer: Binyamin and Shulamit Koretz
Binyamin Koretz
binyamin@koretz.net
Koretz, B., 2005 (Oct 19) Philinopsis ? from Eilat, Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14269 Dear Binyamin,
This is a strange looking animal. It certainly has the look of an aglajid, such as Philinopsis, but in your last photo, the headshield 'horn' is very reminscent of a gastropterid, or mote specifically a Siphopteron. The body wall does appear very transparent, and because of that I am not sure whether the yellow-brown shell we can see in the photo alongside, has a foramen or hole thought the dorsal mantle wall, or just that the mantle wall is very thin at that point.
What ever the situation, I think we are stumped without an animal to loook at or even a shell. It is always possible that the empty shell has been found, and named and placed in one of many genera, but we will never know until another animal is found and the shell removed for comparison. Until we know more I will call it Aglajid sp. 9
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
