Melanochlamys ezoensis
Order: CEPHALASPIDEA
Superfamily: PHILINOIDEA
Family: Aglajidae
DISTRIBUTION
Known only from northern Japan
PHOTO
Baba, 1937 - Aglaja ezoensis fig. 3.
NOTE: This is considered a synonym of M. diomedea - see message #13694].
Aglaja ezoensis was described from a single specimen collected at Akkeshi, nthn Japan. I placed this in the genus Melanochlamys because of its external shape (Rudman, 1972). The full description (Baba, 1957: 16) is:
"Very small, about 15 mm long, the form as usual and elongate-ocal, the posterior lobes of the mantle shield subequal in size. General ground-colour ashy yellow, but it is almost evrywhere (excepting the foremost region of the head and the free posterior margin of the two shields) covered with small irregular, blackish brown speckles. The sole as above. Without radula.Possibly this is a new species of the genus Aglaja, having a unique coloration of the body."
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Baba, K. (1957) A revised list of the species of Opisthobranchia from the northern part of Japan, with some additional descriptions. Journal Faculty Science, Hokkaido Imperial University, series 6, Zoology, 13(1-4): 8-14.
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Rudman, W.B. (1972) On Melanochlamys Cheeseman, 1881, a genus of the Aglajidae (Opisthobranchia: Gastropoda). Pacific Science, 26(1): 50-62, 8 figs.
Rudman, W.B., 2005 (April 30) Melanochlamys ezoensis [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/melacfezoe
Related messages
Re: Melanochlamys sp.? from Japan.
August 16, 2002
From: Jun Imamoto
Dear Bill,
Thank you for your comment. I didn't know of the existence of Melanochlamys by your comment. I have found that Hokkaido University has specimens of this sea slug, too. That was a lesson for me very much.
Best Regards,
Jun Imamoto
http://umiushi.zive.net/
imamoto@wips.co.jp
Imamoto, J., 2002 (Aug 16) Re: Melanochlamys sp.? from Japan.. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7767Melanochlamys sp.? from Japan.
August 13, 2002
From: Jun Imamoto
Dear Bill,
I have looked at your web-site and many Sea Slug Illustrated books, but, I can't find information about this sea slug. I would be very happy with any help you could give me.
Wakasa Bay, Echizen-coast, Japan, 11 July 2002., size approx: 5mm. Depth: 3 m. Temperature: 23 C
Best Regards,
Jun Imamoto
imamoto@wips.co.jp
Imamoto, J., 2002 (Aug 13) Melanochlamys sp.? from Japan.. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7690Dear Jun,
It is a bit hard to be sure, because at 5mm long, your animal could be a juvenile, without its characteristic adult shape. If we accept that its shape is 'adult', then it looks to me like an aglajid of the genus Melanochlamys. I think all the known species are from temperate rather than tropical waters. Externally they differ from Philinopsis in having a more compact body, with smaller parapodia, and with the posterior flap of the headshield being simply rounded and not developed into a raised pointed crest. There foregut is different from Philinopsis, the buccal buld being a large muscular bulb which is used to catch polychaete worms, by rapidly sucking them in, like eating a noodle or piece of spaghetti.
One species, M. ezoensis (Baba, 1957), has been described from Akkeshi in northern Japan. It is possibly that species but I can't be sure from the photo.
best wishes,
Bill Rudman
