Haminoea elegans
(Gray, 1825)

Order: CEPHALASPIDEA
Superfamily: HAMINOEOIDEA
Family: Haminoeidae

DISTRIBUTION

West Atlantic - Caribbean to Brazil

PHOTO

St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica, West Indies. Found on sparse Manatee Grass on sand substrate at <1 m depth. Photo: R. Gundersen.

Like many species of the genus the animal is translucent with patches and mottling of different shades of brown and black. According to Thompson (1977) this is the only west Atlantic species of the genus in which the posterior tip of the headshield is not bilobed.

The fragile, lightly calcified shell, is characterised by its distinct pattern of closely spaced spiral grooves.

References:
• Marcus, Er. (1957) On Opisthobranchia from Brazil (2). Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology, 43(292): 390-486.
• Martinez, E. & Ortea, J. (1997) Haminoea elegans (Gray, 1825) (Opisthobranchia: Cephalaspidea), a truly amphiatlantic species. The Veliger, 40(4): 281-291
• Thompson, T.E. (1977) Jamaican opisthobranch molluscs I. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 43(2): 93-139, pls.1-3.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2003 (October 14) Haminoea elegans (Gray, 1825). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/hamieleg

Related messages


Haminoea elegans from Jamaica

October 17, 2003
From: Ross W. Gundersen


Dear Bill:
Here is another sea slug from Jamaica. As I said in my first message, all specimens were collected from St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica, West Indies. Most specimens were collected using a light weight dredge and photographed by R. Gundersen.

Here is Haminoea elegans. Found on sparse Manatee Grass on sand substrate at <1 m depth.

Best wishes,
Ross

ross.gundersen@uwp.edu

Gundersen, R.W., 2003 (Oct 17) Haminoea elegans from Jamaica. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11123

Thanks Ross,
Bill Rudman