Halgerda brycei
Fahey & Gosliner, 2001
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Dorididae
DISTRIBUTION
NW Western Australia, and possibly Sulawesi (see message below.
PHOTO
(WAMS 12392). Specimen, 50 mm, from Brigadier Island, Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. 10 m depth, April, 1987. Photo by C. Bryce. (Fahey & Gosliner, 2001: Fig. 3D)
Halgerda brycei is similar to Halgerda carlsoni with large, orange-tipped tubercles covering the dorsum, but H. brycei lacks the small spots between the tubercles. In fact there are no other orange markings on the mantle. It also differs from another similarly coloured species, Halgerda batangas, which has a fine, orange network between the orange-tipped tubercles. Halgerda brycei has translucent white large, sparsely pinnate gills which are lined with black. The rhinophore clubs are black and there is a line of black specks up the posterior midline of the rhinophore stalks. Halgerda carlsonilacks this dark line and H. batangas has dark spots on the anterior of the rhinophores. Another similar species, Halgerda stricklandi has a yellow rhinophore club with similar orange tubercles on the dorsum. This species is named after Clay Bryce of the Western Australian Museum
Reference:
• Fahey, S.J. & Gosliner, T.M. (2001) On the genus Halgerda (Nudibranchia: Halgerdidae) from Western Australia with descriptions of four new species. Bollettino Malacologico, 37(5-8): 55-76.
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (October 10) Halgerda brycei Fahey & Gosliner, 2001. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/halgbryc
Related messages
Information on Halgerda brycei
October 16, 2001
From: Shireen Fahey
Dear Bill,
Here is some information on Halgerda brycei, one of the new species of Halgerda that Terry Gosliner and I have just published.
PHOTO: (WAMS 12392). Specimen, 50 mm, from Brigadier Island, Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. 10 m depth, April, 1987. Photo by C. Bryce. (Fahey & Gosliner, 2001: Fig 3D)
This lovely animal has so far been found only in the northern reaches of Western Australia, a rather remote location to say the least. This species was named after Clay Bryce of the Western Australian Museum. Clay was the first to find it in 1987 and has done more than can be possibly mentioned here for nudibranch research. You could mistake Halgerda brycei for Halgerda carlsoni due to the similar, large, orange-tipped tubercles covering the dorsum. But H. brycei has no other colored markings between the tubercles, whereas H. carlsoni has tiny orange dots. Halgerda batangas also has a similar appearance, but that species has a fine, orange network between the orange-tipped tubercles. Halgerda brycei has a large, feathery gill structure like many Halgerda and dark-tipped rhinophores. Look for the dark stripe on the posterior side of the rhinophores too. Halgerda carlsonilacks the dark stripe and H. batangas has dark spots on the anterior of the rhinophores. Another similar species, Halgerda stricklandi has a yellow rhinophore club with similar orange tubercles on the dorsum. The other differences between these species are internal, with the radula and reproductive systems having distinct differences.
Reference:
• Fahey, S.J. & Gosliner, T.M. (2001) On the genus Halgerda (Nudibranchia: Halgerdidae) from Western Australia with descriptions of four new species. Bollettino Malacologico, 37(5-8): 55-76.
Best wishes,
Shireen
sfahey@mailbox.uq.edu.au
Fahey, S., 2001 (Oct 16) Information on Halgerda brycei. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5475Thanks Shireen,
I think Jim Anderson's unidentified Halgerda from Sulawesi is probably this species. It has more black specks on the rhinophores stalk than in your photo but otherwise fits very well. What do you think?
Bill Rudman.
Halgerda sp from NE Sulawesi
August 7, 2001
From: Jim Anderson
Dear Dr. Rudman,
Another one I'm having difficulty with. This animal was photographed at 6 metres on Batu Merah Reef, NE Sulawesi on 21 June 01. It is approx 70mm long. We also found the same sp. on another dive several days later at another site.
Regards,
Jim A
jander454@aol.com
Anderson, J., 2001 (Aug 7) Halgerda sp from NE Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4996Dear Jim,
Looks a bit like Halgerda stricklandi but that species has no ridges and secondary whitish nodules between the orange-tipped ones. The gills and rhinophores in that species are also lined with black rather than spotted. It also looks quite like Halgerda carlsoni but in that species there are fine orange spots in the region between the pustules. I don't think I have missed any of these orange spotted species but if I have can someone please let me know
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.
