Cuthona flavovulta
(MacFarland, 1966)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Tergipedidae

DISTRIBUTION

Known from Oregon & California, west coast, USA.

PHOTO

Duxbury Reef, Bolinas, California, USA. Depth: 0 m. Length: ~ 1 cm. 20 August 2005. Rocky intertidal. Photographer: Ken-ichi Ueda

The body is translucent clear with the head back to behind the rhinophores is orange or yellowish orange. The oral tentacles and simple rhinophores are translucent white with scattered opaque white patches. There can also be an orange mark over the pericardium in the dorsal midline. There is also an opaque white line down the dorsal midline, from the last cerata to the posterior tip of the body. The ceratal digestive gland duct ranges in colour from a deep blackish brown to light green. The transparent ceratal wall is covered with scattered opaque white spots. It grows to approximately 1 cm in length.

  • Behrens, D. W. (1991) Pacific Coast Nudibranchs. Monterey, California, Sea Challengers.  107.
  • MacFarland, F. M. (1966) Studies of Opisthobranchiate Mollusks of the Pacific coast of North America. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences, 6: 1-546.
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2005 (September 18) Cuthona flavovulta (MacFarland, 1966). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/cuthflav

Related messages


Photos of Cuthona flavovulta

October 3, 2005
From: Dave Behrens

Hi Bill:

Sorry I don't have an electronic image of C. fulgens, but came across this C. flavovulta shot in the search. I shot these three specimens at Duxbury Reef (intertidal), Marin County, California. These little guys are really hard to photograph. Note the variation in color intensity.

Dave Behrens

dave@seachallengers.com

Behrens, D., 2005 (Oct 3) Photos of Cuthona flavovulta. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14882

Thanks Dave,
I'll be patient for a shot of C. fulgens. Its good to get some photos showing the variability of Cuthona flavovulta.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Cuthona flavovulta in California

September 19, 2005
From: Ken-ichi Ueda

I noticed you don't have a picture or a species account for Cuthona flavovulta, so I've attached a photo of one I observed at Duxbury Reef in Bolinas, CA. It's not the greatest picture, but I figure it's better than nothing.

Locality: Duxbury Reef, Bolinas, California, USA. Depth: 0 m. Length: ~ 1 cm. 20 August 2005. Rocky intertidal. Photographer: Ken-ichi Ueda

Ken-ichi Ueda

kenichi.ueda@gmail.com

Ueda, K.M., 2005 (Sep 19) Cuthona flavovulta in California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14622

Dear Ken-ichi,
Thanks for this new addition to the Forum. They are always welcome.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Sep 19). Comment on Cuthona flavovulta in California by Ken-ichi Ueda. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14622

Re: British Columbia mystery

July 1, 2003
From: Jeff Goddard

Hi Bill,
Marli's mystery aeolid is either Cuthona fulgens or C. flavovulta. I am pretty sure it is the latter, owing to its fusiform cerata with large yellow spots. I can't tell from the photo if it has the characteristic orange head. In either case, Marli's find represents a range extension from Cape Flattery, Washington (Goddard et al. 1997). I have been expecting one or both of these species to be found in British Columbia, because as I made my way up the Oregon and Washington coasts in the 1980's and '90's, I kept finding them farther and farther north.

References:
Goddard, J.H.R., T.A. Wayne & K.R. Wayne (1997) Opisthobranch mollusks and the pulmonate limpet Trimusculus reticulatus (Sowerby, 1835) from the outer Washington coast. The Veliger, 40(4):292-297.

Best wishes,
Jeff

goddard@lifesci.ucsb.edu

Goddard, J., 2003 (Jul 1) Re: British Columbia mystery. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10324

Thanks Jeff,
It seems we are tantalisingly close to a positive identification. Perhaps Marli has a photo of the head which could solve the problem.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Jul 1). Comment on Re: British Columbia mystery by Jeff Goddard. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10324

British Columbia mystery

June 26, 2003
From: Marli Wakeling

Hi Bill,
Hope you are well. I have a photo (not great due to the size of lens) of what I think is the same animal I sent in earlier. It looks like a Eubranchus, but doesn't seem to match anything I have. Perhaps someone might be of assistance in identifying the little critter.

Location: Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia, Canada.
Depth: 45 feet
Length: 4mm
Photo: Marli Wakeling

Marli Wakeling

scubamarli@excite.com

Wakeling, M., 2003 (Jun 26) British Columbia mystery. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10087

See message #10324 - probably C. flavovulta

Dear Marli,
It's a bit hard to be sure by I think this could be Cuthona fulgens (MacFarland, 1966). It has the same intense white on the rhinophores and oral tentacles and apparently an orange-yellow band on the cerata. But I am afraid its a bit fuzzy to be sure of its identity, but I think it is different from your earlier animal.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Jun 26). Comment on British Columbia mystery by Marli Wakeling. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10087