Flabellina babai
Schmekel, 1972
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Flabellinidae
DISTRIBUTION
Mediterranean, Atlantic coast of Spain, Portugal, Senegal.
PHOTO
Antalya, Turkey, 3 May 2002, Depth: 24m Photo: Baki Yokes.
Reference:
• Schmekel, L. 1972. Flabellina babai n. sp., ein neuer Aeolidier (Gastr. Nudibranchia) aus dem Mittelmeer. Pubblicazioni Stazione Zoologica di Napoli, 38 [1972 for 1970]: 316-327.
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (June 10) Flabellina babai Schmekel, 1972. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/flabbaba
Related messages
Flabellina babai and egg mass
June 26, 2007
From: Dominique Horst
Hello,
Here are photos of Flabellina babai taken at different times, dives and photographers, mating and with their eggs.
Locality: Cap d'Antibes and Cannes, 20-25m, France, Mediterranean sea, 17-18 May 2006. Length: 20 mm. Photographers: Eric Poisson (upper photo) & Dominique Horst (lower photos).
Kind regards,
Dominique
dominique.horst@wanadoo.fr
Thanks Dom,
Bill Rudman
Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Jun 26). Comment on Flabellina babai and egg mass by Dominique Horst. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20027Flabellina babai from Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy
June 21, 2006
From: Paolo G. Albano
Dear Bill,
Here are a few photos taken while scuba diving in Italy. I think they are Flabellina babai. There is also a photo of a couple probably mating.
Locality: Porto S. Stefano, Argentario (Grosseto), Toscana, -10 metres, Italy, Mediterranean Sea - Thyrrenian Sea, 3 and 10 June 2006, Muddy bottom with a few rigid objects (mainly of anthropic origin: tyres, lost nets, concrete blocks). Length: 30 to 40 mm. Photographer: Paolo G. Albano.
Best regards
Paolo
broderipi@yahoo.com
Dear Paolo,
Thanks for these photos, which show some of the features of this species very well, including the way the cerata are arranged on common stalks. One interesting feature I hadn't read of before is how the tips of oral tentacles apparently wave up and down as the animal crawls along. In one photo you can see the tentacles fully extended but in the photo alongside the tips are lifted up. This is quite like the behaviour of the Indo-West Pacific species of Flabellina with paddle-shaped oral tentacles such as F. bicolor.
Concerning mating. I am not sure if they are actually mating, but they appear to be aligning the front part of their right sides together, which is a necessary first step.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Flabellina babai from Croatia
April 14, 2006
From: Andrej Jaklin
Dear Bill,
Here are two photos of Flabellina babai from the Adriatic Sea. As far as I know, there was no previous record from this part of the Mediterranean, the closest being southern Italy and Turkey.
Locality: Lumbarda, Korcula Island, 37 m, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, unknown, rocky outcrop. Length: cca 40 mm. Photographer: Miljenko Marukic.
Best regards,
aj
jaklin@cim.irb.hr
Jaklin, A., 2006 (Apr 14) Flabellina babai from Croatia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16304
Dear Andrej,
Yes this seems to fill a gap in its known distribution. It seems to be a quite rare species but we are gradually getting to know the extent of its distribution through reports such as yours.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Flabellina babai from southern Italy
February 14, 2006
From: Juan Lucas Cervera
Concerning message #15809:
Dear Bill,
The specimen in Gennaro's picture is Flabellina babai.
Regards.
Lucas.
lucas.cervera@uca.es
Cervera, J.L., 2006 (Feb 14) Re: Flabellina babai from southern Italy. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15848Thanks Lucas,
Bill Rudman
Flabellina babai from southern Italy
February 13, 2006
From: Gennaro Ciavarella
Is this Flabellina babai or a Flabellina baetica?
Locality: Porto Cesareo, Gulf of Taranto, Ionian Sea, Italy, 12 metres, 14 June 2005, Intertidal. Length: 2-3 cm. Photographer: Gennaro Ciavarella
Gennaro Ciavarella
gciavarella@tin.it
Ciavarella, G., 2006 (Feb 13) Flabellina babai from southern Italy. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15809
Dear Gennaro,
From the colour and the arrangement of the cerata, I am pretty sure this is F. babai. I can't recall seeing a photo of F. baetica but from the written descriptions of that species it seems to be quite different in colour. It also differs in rhinophore shape. In F. babai the rhinophores have a series of leaflets or lamellae, while in F. baetica there seem to be papillae or lumps covering the posterior side. I'm afraid it's not that easy to see the detail on the rhinophores of your animal but I think it is F. babai. I would be grateful for confirmation from a local expert.
Also if anyone has a photo of Flabellina baetica they would like to share it would be very welcome.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Flabellina babai from Portugal
September 8, 2005
From: David Abecasis
I wonder if you can give me a hand identifying these sea slugs. I've identified them as Flabellina babai, is it correct?
Locality: Faro, Portugal. Depth: 15 m. 06 May 2005. Photographer: David Abecasis
David Abecasis
davidbecas@netcabo.pt
Dear David,
Yes they are Flabellina babai.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Flabellina babai and egg mass
August 28, 2003
From: Joao Pedro Tojal Loia Soares Silva
Dear Bill,
I know this isn't a great shot but you may find it interesting. It's a Flabellina babai and it's eggs. I found it last week on the top of a hole in a wreck in Baleal, Portugal. I could peek inside the hole, but I couldn't get through. As I saw the nudibranchs I managed to get my camera through to take the shot. Only an hour ago (when I got the slides developed) I saw the eggs.
All the best,
Joao Pedro
jpsilva@uwphotographer.net
Silva, J.P., 2003 (Aug 28) Flabellina babai and egg mass. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10802Thanks Joao Pedro,
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Flabellina babai from Senegal
April 5, 2003
From: Juan Lucas Cervera
Dear Bill and Marina,
Concerning the photo from Senegal. Until your message there were no records of Flabellina babai from western Africa.
We are gradually learning more about this fauna. Elysia timida and Phyllidia flava were previously considered to be Mediterranean species only. However, both have been recorded from the Canary Islands so will almost certainly be found on the west African coast. Another species, Piseinotecus gaditanus was described from the Atlantic Andalusian coast (i.e. Atlantic southern Iberian peninsula). It has sine been recorded from Portugal, Mediterranean Andalusian coasts and Cape Verde Archipelago.
Regards.
Lucas.
lucas.cervera@uca.es
Cervera, J.L., 2003 (Apr 5) Re: Flabellina babai from Senegal. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9571Thanks Lucas,
Bill Rudman
Flabellina babai from Senegal
April 3, 2003
From: Marina Poddubetskaia
Dear Bill,
Here are some other shots from Dakar, Senegal, including spawning photo.
Is this Flabellina babai?
These photos were taken by Patrice Petit de Voize [PdeVoize@aol.com] on the Tacoma wreck in Senegal in April 2001.
Best wishes,
Marina (and Patrice).
nembro@nembro.info
Thanks Marina & Patrice,
Apart from the rather reddish look of the ceratal bands I am sure this is F. babai. In an earlier message Lucas Cervera notes that this species occurs in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coasts of Spain and Portugal. I don't know of any record from West Africa, but hopefully Lucas or other Atlantic workers can let us know.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Flabellina babai? from Turkey
January 24, 2003
From: Ferda Buyukbaykal
Dear Bill,
Could you identified these animals? Perhaps they are Flabellina babai?
Image Data:
Tisan, Mersin, Turkey. June 2000, 12mt, approx 3cm, Algae covered rock.
Ferda
ferdabbaykal@isnet.net.tr
Buyukbaykal, F., 2003 (Jan 24) Flabellina babai? from Turkey. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8935Thanks Ferda,
It agree with your suggestion that this is Flabellina babai
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Flabellina babai? from Portugal
September 26, 2002
From: Joao Pedro Tojal Silva
Dear Bill,
First of all, thanks for identifying these lovely animals! Regarding the color, they were actually this bright orange/red. Although these three photos are from two individuals, I found seven individuals in the same area.
All the best,
João Pedro
jpsilva@uwphotographer.net
Tojal Silva, J.P., 2002 (Sep 26) Re: Flabellina babai? from Portugal. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8045Re: Flabellina babai? from Portugal
September 26, 2002
From: Juan Lucas Cervera
Dear Pedro and Bill,
No doubts! It's Flabellina babai.
Regards.
Lucas.
lucas.cervera@uca.es
Cervera, J.L., 2002 (Sep 26) Re: Flabellina babai? from Portugal. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8047Flabellina babai? from Portugal
September 25, 2002
From: Joao Pedro Tojal Silva
Dear Bill,
Last weekend I found these nudibranchs and still couldn't identify them. They seem to be a species of Flabellina but I don't find much information regarding the presence of species of this genus here in Portugal. If you recall, I sent you a (very poor quality) photo of another nudibranch (which I think is the same) some months ago so I expect these photos to be a bit clearer. They were taken in Baleal, Portugal, between 5 and 6 meter deep (the black backdrop is my glove). The photos were taken with extension tubes so depth of field is very much reduced. By the way, with these photos I've started a Nudibranch section of my site. If you care to take a look: http://jpsub0.tripod.com/nudibranquios.html
Hope this interests you.
All the best,
Joao Pedro Silva
jpsilva@uwphotographer.net
Dear Joao,
I am pretty sure this Flabellina babai. I am not sure if the deep red orange colour is something to do with your photos or the actual colour of the animal. If it is the actual colour, it is a much darker colour than photos I have seen of this species previously. The lamellate rhinophores and the white line along the mantle edge, and across the front of the head, are both characteristic of this species.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Flabellina babai from the Mediterranean
July 26, 2002
From: Marina Poddubetskaia
Dear Bill,
Here are some photos of Flabellina babai. Both were found at Cerbere, on the Mediterranean coast of France
Upper: July 03, 2002, Site: Canadells., Depth: 22m, Size: 2-3cm
Lower: July 02, 2002, Site: Cap Negre., Size: 15-20mm
Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia - Nembro website
Best wishes,
Marina.
nembro@nembro.info
Poddubetskaia, M., 2002 (Jul 26) Flabellina babai from the Mediterranean. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7595Thanks Marina,
Bill Rudman
Re: Flabellina babai from Turkey
June 14, 2002
From: Juan Lucas Cervera
Hi Bill,
There is no doubt that Baki's aeolid is Flabellina babai. It has been found in W. Mediterranean, and also in southwestern Spanish and Portuguese coasts (Atlantic). It's not an abundant species, but you can find it.
Regards.
Lucas.
lucas.cervera@uca.es
Cervera, J.L., 2002 (Jun 14) Re: Flabellina babai from Turkey. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7248Thanks Lucas,
As I thought, Baki's find certainly increases our knowledge of the Mediterranean fauna
Bill Rudman
Flabellina babai from Turkey
June 11, 2002
From: Baki Yokes
Dear Bill,
Here is another Mediterranean Flabellina for the Forum. We observed approximately 20 specimens on the same rock, probably gathered for mating. On the upper right corner of one of the photos the egg mass is seen. Unfortunately this was the end of the film, so that I couldn't have a chance to take a full picture of the egg coil. This species is observed all throughout the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Turkey, but mostly at winter times.
Place: Antalya, Turkey
Dive site: Uc Adalar
Date: 3 May 2002
Depth: 24m, Water temp: 18C
Photos taken by Baki Yokes
Best regards
Baki
bakiyokes@turk.net
Dear Baki,
Thanks for another interesting record. I didn't realise how prominent the mantle edge is in Flabellina babai in this species, forming a distinctive ridge on each side between the ceratal clusters. I also suspect this has only been recorded from the western end of the Mediterranean previously so it will be interesting to hear from colleagues familiar with the Mediterranean fauna.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
