Ceratosoma palliolatum
Rudman, 1988.

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Chromodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Known from Darwin in northern Australia and the Marshall Ids. Probably wide distribution, at least in the Western Pacific.

PHOTO

Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, November 1985, 75mm long alive. PHOTOS: Bill Rudman.

Ceratosoma palliolatum lacks the prominent dorsal horn found in species such as C. trilobatum, but the body is relatively high and firm to touch. The gills are characteristically long with few lamellae. Thye are almost invisible in the accompanying photos because their colour matches the colour of the mantle. The rhinophores are tipped in purple. The body is a mottled orange with scattered purple spots around the mantle edge.

Reference:
• Rudman, W.B. (1988b) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: the genus Ceratosoma J.E. Gray. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 93(2): 133-185.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (April 19) Ceratosoma palliolatum Rudman, 1988.. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/cerapall

Related messages


Ceratosoma palliolatum from Kerama Islands

April 19, 1999
From: Rie Nakano

Dear Bill,
Here is another of Mr Atsushi Ono's images from Kerama Island, near Okinawa which you offered to identify for us.

Mr.Ono thinks it is Noumea sp. but Mr.Cory Pittman this should be Ceratosoma palliolatum (The change was suggested by Scott Johnson.)

Rie Nakano.

rie@street.ne.jp

Nakano, R., 1999 (Apr 19) Ceratosoma palliolatum from Kerama Islands. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/783

Dear Rie,
Yes, Scott Johnson is correct, this is Ceratosoma palliolatum Rudman, 1988.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.