Cuthona divae
(Marcus, 1961)
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Tergipedidae
DISTRIBUTION
Pujet Sound, Washington, to Los Angeles, California.
Feeds on athecate hydroids such as Hydractinia. Very similar in anatomy to Cuthona nana. Grows to about 13mm.
Authorship detailsRudman, W.B., 2001 (February 4) Cuthona divae (Marcus, 1961). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/cuthdiva
Related messages
Re: Cuthona divae with eggs [2]
September 25, 2007
From: Jackie Hildering
Concerning message #20145:
In attempt to unravel who laid which egg mass in messages #20138 and #20145, I did find another Cuthona divae with eggs today (again feeding on Clavactinia milleri ). Not a great shot as the animal and egg mass were in a crack.
Locality: Telegraph Cove, 58 feet, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean, 22 September 2007, Wall. Length: 3 cm. Photographer: Jackie Hildering.
Jackie Hildering
earthlingenterprises@telus.net
Hildering, J., 2007 (Sep 25) Re: Cuthona divae with eggs [2]. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20793
Dear Jackie,
This certainly seems to be a nice confirmation of the egg ribbon of this species.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Cumanotus vs Cuthona divae
September 10, 2007
From: Jeff Goddard
Concerning message #20483:
Hi Bill and Dave,
I have been enjoying the spectacular images of Cumanotus sp. And Cuthona divae by Kevin Lee and Jackie Hildering and just wanted to confirm that the egg masses in the middle two images of Kevin's message #20483 and those in Jackie's message #20145 were indeed laid by Cuthona divae, as confirmed by my previous observations in the laboratory of egg-laying by specimens collected on Hydractinia from Cape Arago, Oregon. The pink rosettes, with their vertically looped egg string, are distinctive among NE Pacific species of Cuthona.
Additional observations would have been necessary to identify the adult slugs in Jackie's message #20138 and determine if they laid the egg masses in the associated image, although the adults do look like Cuthona concinna to me.
Locality: Cape Arago, Intertidal, Oregon, USA, Paciific Ocean, June 1984, Rocky shore. Length: 15 mm. Photographer: Jeff Goddard.
Best wishes,
Jeff
goddard@lifesci.ucsb.edu
Goddard, J.H.R., 2007 (Sep 10) Re: Cumanotus vs Cuthona divae. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20589
Thanks Jeff,
Best wishes,
Bill and Dave
Cuthona divae with eggs [2]
July 25, 2007
From: Jackie Hildering
Both dives today allowed me to find Cuthona divae with eggs but different eggs at each site. On the NE Pearse site the animals were on hedge hog hydroids (Clavactinia milleri).
Locality: NE Pearse, +/-40 feet, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean, 28 April 2007, Wall. Length: 3 cm . Photographer: Jackie Hildering.
[See message #20138 for eggs at "Bob's Spot" site where the animals were on barnacle fur hydroids (Hydractinia ).]
Jackie Hildering
earthlingenterprises@telus.net
Hi Jackie,
As I mentioned in my reply to message #20138, you have the eggs of two different species here. I am going to guess that one was feeding on the hedge hog hydroids (Clavactinia milleri), while the other was feeding on barnacle fur hydroids (Hydractinia). Cute common names
Bill has pointed out to me that the small animal just above the big one - can see it clearly in middle right photo, might not be Cuthona divae, but another species, possibly Cuthona cocoachroma or C. concinna. This would certainly explain the two different egg mass morphologies.Hope this helps,
Dave Behrens
Cuthona divae with eggs [1]
July 25, 2007
From: Jackie Hildering
Both dives today allowed me to find Cuthona divae with eggs. But eggs are different. Here is a photo of eggs from "Bob's Spot" site. the animals were on barnacle fur hydroids (Hydractinia).
Locality: Bob's Spot +/-40 feet, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean, 28 April 2007, Wall. Length: 3 cm . Photographer: Jackie Hildering.
[see #20145 as well for second egg type]
Jackie Hildering
earthlingenterprises@telus.net
Hi Jackie,
Not sure what to tell you on this one. Cuthona's lay nice neat coiled egg ribbons. Between your two messages you have documented two distinctly different egg masses on two different hydroid species. . This one seems to be a cylindrical coil while in the other message the egg mass is a flattened ribbon with vertical rows stacked in. Since I have not seen documentation on the morphology Cuthona divae's eggs, I can't really say whose these are.
My best shot,
Dave Behrens
Cuthona divae from British Columbia
October 21, 2003
From: Paul Sim
Hello Bill,
Me again. Hope I have not over stayed my welcome here. I have here yet another one from our recent trip to Port Hardy. I believe it is a Cuthona concinna. Do you concur? They are feeding on the Hydractinia milleri hydroid.
Date = Sept 2, 2003
Location = N.E. Pearse, Plumper Island Group, British Columbia, Canada
Terrain = wall
Depth = 60 feet
Temp = 50 degrees farenheit
Equip = Nikonos-V, 1:1, Fuji Superia
September 1rst and Sept 3rd, 2003.
Paul Sim
plsim@shaw.ca
Sim, P., 2003 (Oct 21) Cuthona divae from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11236
Dear Paul,
Be assured that no one out stays their welcome on the Forum. Unfortunately I sometimes take a lot longer providing answers than I should.
I think the clue to this ones identity is its food - Hydractinia. I am pretty sure this is Cuthona divae which is known to feed on Hydractinia.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman
Cuthona divae from British Columbia
October 9, 2002
From: Marli Wakeling
Hi Bill,
Here is a photo of Cuthona divae, appearing to be eating a "hedgehog hydroid", Hydractinia milleri.
Location: Annie's Wall, Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada
Date: August, 2002
Depth: 45 feet
Length: 2.5 cm.
Photograph: Marli Wakeling
Regards,
Marli
scubamarli@excite.com
Wakeling, M., 2002 (Oct 9) Cuthona divae from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8132Thanks Marli,
It looks like that might be its egg mass in the background as well
Bill Rudman
Cuthona divae from British Columbia
March 18, 2002
From: Marli Wakeling
Hi Bill,
Here is Cuthona divae, found at 'Mo's Reef', at Barkley Sound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. I have also found it on the east coast, near Nanaimo, and at the northern end of the island at Port Hardy.
PHOTO: Mo's Reef, Barkley Sound, British Columbia, Canada
DEPTH: 30 feet
LENGTH: 1 cm
DATE: May 13, 2001
PHOTO BY: Marli Wakeling
Marli
scubamarli@excite.com
Wakeling, M., 2002 (Mar 18) Cuthona divae from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6483Thanks Marli,
Its nice to get a photo from the northern end of its range.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Cuthona divae from California
February 6, 2001
From: Bruce Wight
Hi Doc,
Here are some photos of an aeolid called Cuthona divae which were taken off San Diego on a wreck known asthe El Ray in about 80 feet of water.
Take care,
Bruce Wight
bwproductions@earthlink.net
Wight, B., 2001 (Feb 6) Cuthona divae from California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3695Thanks Bruce,
Bill Rudman
