Haminoea cyanomarginata
Heller & Thompson, 1983
Order: CEPHALASPIDEA
Superfamily: HAMINOEOIDEA
Family: Haminoeidae
DISTRIBUTION
Known from two records - Sudan, Red Sea & Turkey, Mediterranean.
PHOTO
Çeþme, Ýzmir, Turkey, Depth: 15m. Size: 0.5cm. 24 September 2002. Photo: Dr Nazmi Kural.
Haminoea cyanomarginata was described by heller & Thompson (1983) from a single specimen, 5.5mm long alive, from the Sudanese Red Sea, between Port Sudan and Suakin. In shape it has a number of distinctive external features such as the well developed rounded posterior lobes on the head shield and the parapodal flaps which only extend about half way back along the shell. The posterior end of the shell is covered by the infrapallial lobe which has a posterior extension, masquerading as the posterior end of the foot. It has a number of distinctive colour features, the most prominent being the purple edge to the parapodia, head shield, and infrapallial lobe. The body, and mantle, which can be seen through the transparent shell, is translucent with large white or cream blotches. In Heller & Thompson's animal there were 2 large medially situated yellowish patches on the head, and in the Turkish specimens there is one large patch. The Sudanese animal, and one of the Turkish animals, in the photo alongside, had some yellowish spots, and a few purplish spots can be seen in the Turkish photos, suggesting that the presence of yellow and purple spots is variable.
It is probable that this a lessepsian migrant which has entered the Mediterranean from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal. However its distribution is known from two records - the original description from Sudan, and the message here from Turkey - so it is difficult to be sure, until we have a better idea of its geographical distribution,, whether it originated in the Indo-West Pacific or the Mediterranean.
References:
• Heller & Thompson, T.E. 1983 Opisthobranch molluscs of the Sudanese Red Sea. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 78(4): 317-348
Rudman, W.B., 2003 (January 3) Haminoea cyanomarginata Heller & Thompson, 1983. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/hamicyan
Related messages
Re: Haminoea cyanomarginata from Italy
February 19, 2008
From: Fabio Crocetta
Concerning message #20281:
Dear Bill,
Here is a paper about the first record of Haminoea cyanomarginata from Italian Seas.
-
Crocetta, F. & Vazzana, A. (2008) First record of Haminoea cyanomarginata (Gastropoda: Haminoeidae) in the Italian Seas JMBA2 - Biodiversity Records Published on-line
It is available from: http://www.mba.ac.uk/jmba/pdf/6046.pdf
With my best regards
Fabio
fabiocrocetta@alice.it
Crocetta, F., 2008 (Feb 19) Re: Haminoea cyanomarginata from Italy. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21387 Dear Fabio,
Thanks for letting us know
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Haminoea cyanomarginata from Malta
July 23, 2007
From: Constantine Mifsud
Concerning message #20260:
Hi Bill,
A couple of months ago I published a short note on the presence of Haminoea cyanomarginata in Maltese waters.
-
Mifsud, C. (2007) Haminoea cyanomarginata Heller & Thompson, 1983 (Gastropoda: Haminoeidae), a new invader for the Maltese Islands. Novapex, 8(1): 29-30.
Regards,
Con
kejdon@orbit.net.mt
Mifsud C., 2007 (Jul 23) Re: Haminoea cyanomarginata from Malta. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20281Thanks Con,
Bill Rudman
Re: Haminoea cyanomarginata from Greece
July 23, 2007
From: Jim Anderson
Concerning message #15015:
Dear Bill,
I found this couple of Haminoea cyanomarginata during a recent trip to Crete. They were exhibiting the same behaviour as in the above message.
Locality: Schinaria, Plakias, 18 m, Crete, Greece, Mediterranean Sea, 9 July 2007, weedy vertical cliff. Length: 5 mm and 3 mm. Photographer: Jim Anderson.
I had know idea what they were until I identified them via the forum so many thanks again!
Regards.
Jim Anderson
jander4454@gmail.com
Anderson, J, 2007 (Jul 23) Re: Haminoea cyanomarginata from Greece. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20273Haminoea cyanomarginata from Malta
July 21, 2007
From: Patricia Peels
Hi Bill
We've come across another seaslug we can not identify. Can you help us? It was sitting on a Codium bursa.
Locality: Cirkewwa, 25 m, Malta, Mediterranean, 19 July 2007. Length: 5 mm. Photographer: Patricia Peels.
Thank you and best regards,
Patricia & Gerard
gmpeels@nextgen.net.mt
Peels, P., 2007 (Jul 21) Haminoea cyanomarginata from Malta. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20260
Dear Patricia & Gerard,
This is an interesting find, and at 5 mm long, a tribute to your eyesight. It is Haminoea cyanomarginata which was first reported on the Forum from the Mediterranean four years ago [message #8770]. It was first described from the Sudanese coast of the Red Sea, and is what we call a Lessepsian migrant into the Mediterranean. It seems to be quite common in Turkey, and is known from Greece, so your find in Malta suggest it is continuing its move westward in the Mediterranean from the Suez Canal.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Haminoea cyanomarginata from Greece
October 17, 2005
From: M. Baki Yokes
Dear Bill,
Concerning message #14998:
Haminoea cyanomarginata has become abundant on the southwestern coasts of Turkey. In some regions tens of them can be observed during a dive.
Locality: Uc Adalar, Antalya, Turkey. Mediterranean. Depth: 24 m. Length: ~1 cm. 15 June 2004. Rocky bottom. Photographer: M. Baki Yokes
Here I have attached a series of photos of a couple pictured during a such meeting time. Most probably I witnessed the mating ceremony of this species. There were many of them, distributed all over the rocky bottom, and all of them were in couples, and each couple were showing a stange trailing behaviour, that is the leading individual is slowly moving on an almost straight pathway and the pursuing one hurries to catch the leader, moving on the exact trail of it, most probably by following the chemicals left behind, and when it catches, it tries to get under the leader and elevate it. Then the leader makes a quick turn on a vertical direction leaving its partner behind. After a few seconds of halt the pursuer follows the new route to catch the leader again. All the couples I have seen in that dive showed the same kind of behaviour, suggesting a common mating ceremony in this species.
Best wishes
Baki
bakiyokes@turk.net
Dear Baki,
Very interesting. Certainly many opisthobranchs tend to follow the mucous trails of their kind, and some predators follow the trails of potential prey, but I can't say I have seen or heard of this process of 'nudging' under the lead animal. It will be interesting to hear of other similar observations.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Haminoea cyanomarginata from Greece
October 13, 2005
From: Constantine Mifsud
Hi Bill,
I am attaching a few images of Haminoea cyanomarginata. The specimen was found by Panayotis Ovalis, attached to leaves of Posidonia on a boat with tangle nets from the gulf of Saronikos, Greece.This is probably an extension into the Mediterranean of this Lessepsian species.
Locality: Gulf of Saronikos, Greece, Mediterranean. Depth: 25 metres. Length: about 20 mm, shell 8 mm. 8 October 2005. attached to Posidonia in tangle nets. Photographer: Panayotis Ovalis
Regards,
Constantine Mifsud
kejdon@orbit.net.mt
Mifsud C., 2005 (Oct 13) Haminoea cyanomarginata from Greece. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14998
Dear Constantine & Panayotis,
Thanks for these beautiful photos. This animal has definitely made the eastern Mediterranean its new home. We now have quite a few records from Turkey, and Erwin Koehler mentions a record from the Korinthiakos Gulf, Greece [message #8896].
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Another Haminoea cyanomarginata from Izmir Turkey
September 28, 2005
From: Aziz Saltik
Good Day,
This Haminoea cyanomarginata was photographed by me on 18 Aug. 2005 at Çeþme, Ýzmir, Turkey. It was located on some algae on a rock.
Locality: Çeþme, Ýzmir, Turkey. Depth: 26 meters, Aegean Sea. Length: 1.5-2 cm. 18 August 2005. In clear water with good visibility. Photographer: Aziz T. Saltik
Best Regards,
Aziz T. Saltik
asaltik@enka.com
Saltik, A.T., 2005 (Sep 28) Another Haminoea cyanomarginata from Izmir Turkey. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14847Thanks Aziz,
Haminoea cyanomarginata certainly seems to have become a permamnent resident in the Mediterranean.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Another Haminoea cyanomarginata from the Red Sea
August 12, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
I found this one a few weeks ago, and it's the biggest one that I and my dive buddy have ever found (i believe we've spotted almost 10 of them already). Well, actually there are two of them there. Lucky for me, i spotted this one while diving with my new camera which has better macro capabilities.
Locality: The "Dekel", Eilat bay, Israel, Red Sea. Depth: ~25 meters. Length: ~1 cm. 23 Jul 2005. Photographer: Oren Lederman
Oren Lederman
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Lederman, O., 2005 (Aug 12) Another Haminoea cyanomarginata from the Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14543
Dear Oren,
It's hard to believe that a few months ago this species was known only from its original description from Sudan in 1983. Looking at your latest batch of photos I wondered if you had a new camera - it certainly seems good for macro work
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
More Haminoea cyanomarginata from Red Sea
May 17, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
My talented dive buddy spotted a few more Haminoea cyanomarginata last weekend. The first two photos show the one we found on Thursday. The last one shows the one we saw on friday. At first i was sure that we only saw one such slug on Thursday... but if you watch the first two pictures closely you'll see slightly different color patterns. There might have been two different Haminoea cyanomarginata there. This third photo clearly shows a different slug.
Locality: The "Dekel" beach, Israel. Red Sea. Depth: ~15 meters. Length: ~1 cm. 12 & 13 May 2005. Photographer: Oren Lederman
Oren Lederman
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Thanks Oren,
This species has certainly changed its status very quickly from 'very rare' to quite common. I guess it is a lesson to us. Being "rare' often means being 'rarely seen or recognised by humans" rather than being few in numbers.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Haminoea cyanomarginata from Eilat
March 15, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
Late last year when the Forum was not working [7-Oct-2004] I found this animal which looks to be some kind of Atys. It was found in a dive site called "The Satil" (named after a wreck that can be found there. "Satil" means missile ship in Hebrew), at a depth of 25 meter (according to my diving computer) [Eilat, Israel, Red Sea].
I found three of them together, each one was about 0.5 cm long.
Oren Lederman.
Lederman, O., 2005 (Mar 15) Haminoea cyanomarginata from Eilat. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13307
Dear Oren,
This 'Atys' is very interesting. It is Haminoea cyanomarginata, which was originally described from the Sudanese Red Sea but has not been seen again until we got some reports from Turkey! So its good to get another record of it closer to its 'home'. Species of Atys are closely related to Haminoea. They usually have a more heavily calicified shell and some internal anatomical differences.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Another Haminoea cyanomarginata from the Red Sea
March 15, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
A few months ago I sent you the first series of pictures of this species. You identified it as Haminoea cyanomarginata, but didn't put it on the site (you were busy at that time). Anyway, this weekend my dive buddy found another one of them. It was really tiny as you can see from the picture (it's my finger next to it).
Locality: "Dekel" beach, Eilat Bay, Israel, Red Sea. Depth: 21.8 meters. Length: ~0.3 cm. 13 Mar 2005. corals. Photographer: Oren Lederman
Cheers,
Oren
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Lederman, O., 2005 (Mar 15) Another Haminoea cyanomarginata from the Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13331
Dear Oren,
I have just posted your earlier message today [#13307]. The site was down at the time and this message had prompted me to post it as it is a valuable record of a little known species. As I said in my comment on that message, it is strange that we have more records of this animal from its migration into the Mediterranean, than we do from its 'home' in the Red Sea.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Haminoea cyanomarginata
January 13, 2003
From: Erwin Koehler
Dear Bill,
Before I sent the images to the Forum I asked some other experts for help. I think the answer of Jose Templado might be interesting:
"HAPPY NEW YEAR !! Thank for the nice photos. The species is Haminoea cyanomarginata, described by Heller & Thompson (1983) from the Sudanese Red Sea. ... In the Mediterranean Sea this species has been only found in Porto Germeno, Korinthiakos, Greece (more than 30 specimens in 2001). Terry Gosliner and Ernesto Mollo are preparing a publication on it. In the other hand we have included Haminoea cyanomarginata in our "Atlas on Exotic Molluscs in the Mediterranean Sea" (CIESM, Monaco), now ready for publication. We have a photograph courtesy of V. Roussis and E. Vardala-Thedorou. Thank you again,
Cheers Jose"
Erwin
Erwin@medslugs.de
Thanks Erwin,
It's nice to see we all agree on its identity - and we can add Greece to its known distribution.
Cheers,
Bill Rudman
Haminoea cyanomarginata - more photos
January 8, 2003
From: Nazmi Kural
Dear Bill,
Here are some more photos of Haminoea cyanomarginata. They are the same animals as in Erwin Koehler's message.
Çeþme, Ýzmir, Turkey, Depth: 15m. Size: 0.5cm
24 September 2002. Photo: Dr Nazmi Kural.
Nazmi Kural
nazmikurall@e-kolay.net
Thanks Nazmi,
These extra photos certainly remove any lingering doubts. They show one animal with the yellow spots described by Heller & Thompson in their animal from the Sudan, and they show the variability in the purple markings on the body and head shield. It is indeed an interesting find
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Cephalaspidean? from Turkey
January 6, 2003
From: Erwin Köhler
Dear Bill,
First, A happy new year 2003!
Attached are 2 shots from Turkey by Dr Nazmi Kural [nazmikurall@e-kolay.net]
Size: 0.5cm
Depth: 15m.
Place: Çeþme, Ýzmir, Turkey
Date: 24 September 2002
I have never seen anything like this, not alive nor in any book or paper. I think it might be a Cephalaspidean - do you know a name for it?
Cheers,
Erwin
Erwin@medslugs.de
Koehler, E., 2003 (Jan 6) Cephalaspidean? from Turkey. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8770Dear Erwin & Nazmi,
The lower photo makes it look like a strange gastropterid, but when I saw it, it reminded me of a Haminoea that Tom Thompson described, with Heller, some years ago from the Sudan. Sure enough when I looked up the paper, it matches their description of Haminoea cyanomarginata perfectly - as far as external features are concerned. This then seems to be another interesting find from Turkey. As I discuss on the species Fact Sheet, this is probably another example of a Lessepsian migrant, a species from the Red Sea which has reaches the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. However since it has only been reported once from the Red Sea, and Baki Yokes, in an accompanying message, says that this is quite common in Turkish waters, we have to consider just which way the migration has taken place - in or out of the Mediterranean.
Thanks for another exciting find,
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Cephalaspidean from Turkey (2)
January 6, 2003
From: Baki Yokes
Dear Bill,
To accompany Erwin's message, here is another specimen of the white cephalaspidean from Antalya, Turkey. Although I have not seen this species alive, I have received many photos of it taken from various parts of Turkey by divers. It is usually seen at night, between 15-25m of depth, on rocky surface covered with algae. The photo was taken by Adnan Buyuk [ado2000tr@yahoo.com]
Place: Antalya, Turkey
Dive site: Uç Adalar
Depth: 15m
Size: around 1cm
Best wishes
Baki
bakiyokes@turk.net
Yokes, B., 2003 (Jan 6) Cephalaspidean from Turkey (2). [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8840Dear Baki & Adnan,
Thanks for another exciting find from Turkey. As I discuss in Erwin's message, this is
Haminoea cyanomarginata, previously known from a single specimen collected in the Sudanese Red Sea.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
