Flabellina sp. 4
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Flabellinidae
PHOTO
Dakar, Senegal, Eastern Atlantic. Site: Tacoma Wreck., Depth: 14m., May 26, 2003. Size: 20mm
Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia
Similar to Flabellina arveloi but rhinophore morphology is apparently different. See discussion below.
Authorship detailsRudman, W.B., 2003 (July 6) Flabellina sp. 4 [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/flabsp4
Related messages
Flabellina affinis? from Senegal
July 8, 2003
From: Marina Poddubetskaia
Dear Bill,
Here are other eolids from Dakar. It looks like Flabellina affinis: the body is purple and there is violet ring obscuring the digestive gland in cerata. But rhinophores seem odd to me: they aren't lamellate but papillate. Do you think it is a different species ?
Dakar, Senegal, Eastern Atlantic
Upper Photo: Site: Tacoma Wreck., Depth: 10m., June 06, 2003. Size: 25mm
Lower Photos: Site: Tacoma Wreck., Depth: 14m., May 26, 2003. Size: 20mm
Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia - Nembro website
Best wishes,
Marina.
nembro@nembro.info
Dear Marina,
Itas rhinophores and general arranegment of cerata show it is not Flabellina affinisi but I'm afraid I am more confidemnt about what it isn't than what it is. I've looked at Ortea and Espinoa's recent (1998) review of the warm-water Atlantic species of Flabellina but it doesn't fit any of them very well. It has similarities to F. arveloi which is said to be common in the Cape Verde Ids, but in that species the rhinophores are described as smooth anteriorly with fine lamellae on the sides and small tubercles posteriorly, but in drawing seem to just have posterior papillae. In you animals the rhinophore tubercles seem to scattered rather irregularly all around the rhinophores. Unless a local worker can suggest an identification I guess I will have to keep this separate as Flabellina sp. 4. It has similarities to Flabellina pedata but I don't know these Atlantic species well enough to be sure
• Ortea, J. & Espinosa, J. 1998. Estudio de nueve especies del genero Flabellina Voigt, 1834 (Mollusca, Nudibranchia) colectadas en Angola, Cabo Verde, Costa Rica, Cuba y Portugal, con la descripcion de tres especies nuevas. Avicennia, 8/9: 135-148
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Flabellina affinis (?) from Senegal (2)
July 8, 2003
From: Marina Poddubetskaia
Dear Bill,
Here are some Flabellina which look like those in my previous mail. These are 3 different specimens. The main differences I see are:
• very few cerata have the obscuring violet ring characteristic of Flabellina affinis (but all specimens have at least one ring)
• these specimens seem to have wrinkled rhinophores
Is it the same species? Is it Flabellina affinis?
Thank you very much for your help.
Dakar, Senegal, Eastern Atlantic., Site: Le Grand Thiouriba. Depth: 37m. June 01, 2003. Size: all about 15-20mm. Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia - Nembro website
Best wishes,
Marina.
nembro@nembro.info
Dear Marina,
Yes this appears to be the same species as in your previous message but as I say there, its identity is a bit of a puzzle. I suspect the wrinkles on the rhinophores develop into the papillae of the larger animals. It is possibly Flabellina pedata but I don't know these Atlantic species well enough to be sure
Best wishes
Bill Rudman
