Noumea nivalis
Baba, 1937

Order: NOTASPIDEA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Chromodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from Japan and Hong Kong

PHOTO

UPPER: 6 April 1983, Loo Fu Fong, Tolo Channel, Hong Kong, 3-6 m. AM C138519. LOWER: 2 specimens, 10 April 1983, Bate Head, Mirs Bay, Hong Kong, 5-10 m. AM C138520. Photos: Brian Darvell.

Another white chromodorid with a yellow or yellow-orange border. On the inside edge of the yellow border is a band of opaque white spots representing the subepidermal mantle glands. There are usually two or three orange spots on the mantle and sometimes eight or more, but they can be absent. The rhinophores are tipped with orange. The gills are usually orange-tipped but sometimes the orange is absent. Anatomy and taxonomy discussed in Rudman (1985). It grows to 15-20 mm in length.

Reference:
• Baba, K. (1937) Opisthobranchia of Japan (II). J. Dept. Agric. Kyusyu Imp. Univ. 5(7): 289-344. (Pls.1-2)
• Baba, K (1987): Noumea nivalis Baba, 1937 from Fukuura, West Coast of Noto Peninsula, Japan. Janolus, 69: 1.
• Rudman, W.B. 1985. The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: Chromodoris aureomarginata, C. verrieri and C. fidelis colour groups. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 83: 241-299.
• Rudman, W.B. & Darvell, B.W. (1990) Opisthobranch molluscs of Hong Kong. Part 1. Goniodorididae, Onchidorididae, Triophidae, Gymnodorididae, Chromodorididae, (Nudibranchia). Asian Marine Biology, 7: 31-79

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (July 5) Noumea nivalis Baba, 1937. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/noumniva

Related messages


Noumea nivalis? from the Yellow Sea

August 17, 2006
From: Dong Bum Koh

Dear Bill,
Last weekend our DEPC (Digital Eco-Photo Club) members visited the Yellow Sea.

We've got several photos from Tae An area.[126° E 36° 8'N] including this one of Noumea nivalis.

Tae An area.[126° E 36° 8'N], -10m, South Korea, Yellow Sea, 5~6 August 2006. Photographer: Sung Soon Choi.

Best regards,
Dong Bum Koh

drkoh@seasee.co.kr

D.B.Koh, 2006 (Aug 17) Noumea nivalis? from the Yellow Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17417

Dear Koh,
Thanks for the photo. I guess this was a reasonably small animal. Certainly the mantle glands look like those of a juvenile. I wouldn't be surprised if it is an unnamed species. From my experience of similarly coloured species in southeastern Australia, colour patterns and actual colours can be very stable. It is possible that yellow spots like this, rather than orange, are an indication that it is not N. nivalis. Also the yellow spots at the mantle edge are rather different from the continuous orange band found in N. nivalis.

However, the only way to be sure would be to look at its anatomy.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Aug 17). Comment on Noumea nivalis? from the Yellow Sea by Dong Bum Koh. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17417

Noumea nivalis from Korea

June 19, 2002
From: Dong Bum Koh


Dear Bill.
Here is a photo from in Seogwipo (southeast of Cheju Island). But it`s very strange to me. Can you tell me something about it?

Data: Mun islet southeast of Cheju Island, southern Korea.
Depth & Date : 5m 13/June 2002
Photo: Dong Bum Koh

With Best Regards.
Dong Bum, Koh

drkoh@seasee.co.kr

Koh, D.B., 2002 (Jun 19) Noumea nivalis from Korea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7282

Dear Dr Koh,
I am pretty sure this is Noumea nivalis. Other photos on the Forum show some orange spots on the mantle and some orange-tipped gills, but Baba emntions that both these characters can be absent as in your photo. The most important colour features are the white body, orange-yellow mantle margin and the orange-tipped rhinophore clubs.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Jun 19). Comment on Noumea nivalis from Korea by Dong Bum Koh. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7282

Noumea subnivalis? from Japan

August 13, 2001
From: Nishina Masayoshi


Dear Dr.Rudman,
Here are photos of Noumea subnivalis.

Date:4 Aug 2001
Location:Shibasaki Hayama,Japan
Depth:5m
Size:10mm
Comment:uncommon here

Photo by Chikako.

Best Regards,
Nishina Masayoshi

nishina@hpe15.wips.co.jp

Nishina, M., 2001 (Aug 13) Noumea subnivalis? from Japan. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5021

Dear Nishina,
Thanks to you and Chikako for these photos. I think these are Noumea nivalis Baba, 1937. In N. subnivalis Baba, 1987, the mantle edge is reported by Baba to be bicoloured with an orange-yellow outer band and an inner yellow band. The rhinophore clubs are reddish purple at the tip and white below. The gills are usually all white but can sometimes have one gill which is yellow-tipped.

I am posting some photos of Noumea nivalis from Hong Kong in a separate message.

• Baba, K (1987) A new species of Noumea from Ogi, Toyama Bay and vicinity, Japan (Nudibranchia: Chromodorididae). Venus, The Japanese Journal of Malacology, 46(1): 19-24.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Aug 13). Comment on Noumea subnivalis? from Japan by Nishina Masayoshi . [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5021

Noumea nivalis from Hong Kong

August 13, 2001
From: Bill Rudman & Brian Darvell


Here is some information and photos on Noumea nivalis from Brian Darvell's Hong Kong collections.

Another white chromodorid with a yellow or yellow-orange border. There can be a few orange spots on the mantle and the white gills and rhinophores are tipped with orange. Anatomy and taxonomy discussed recently (Rudman 1985). It grows to 15-20 mm in length.

PHOTO: UPPER: 6 April 1983, Loo Fu Fong, Tolo Channel, Hong Kong, 3-6 m. AM C138519. LOWER: 2 specimens, 10 April 1983, Bate Head, Mirs Bay, Hong Kong, 5-10 m. AM C138520.
Hong Kong Collection Records:
AM C138519, 6 April 1983, Site 6.48, Loo Fu Fong, Tolo Channel, 3-6 m. AM C138520, 2 specimens, 10 April 1983, Site 4.57, Bate Head, Mirs Bay, 5-10 m. AM C138521, 13 April 1983, Site 5.16, Chek Chan (W), Mirs Bay, 2-5 m. AM C138522, 3 specimens, 16 April 1983, Site 6.71, N shore, Tolo Channel, 2-5 m. AM C138523, 17 April 1983, Site 5.75, Chu Ma Pai, Tolo Channel, 3-14 m. AM C138524, 18 April 1983, Site 5.76, Datum Rock, Hoi Ha, Tolo Channel, 1-4 m. AM C138525, 20 April 1983, Site 3.81, Ping Chau (SW), Mirs Bay, ~ 7 m. AM C142179, 31 March 1984, Site 10.99, Kiu Tau (W), Kiu Tsui Chan, Port Shelter, 4 m. Depth range: 1-12 m.

Reference:
• Rudman, W.B. & Darvell, B.W. (1990) Opisthobranch molluscs of Hong Kong. Part 1. Goniodorididae, Onchidorididae, Triophidae, Gymnodorididae, Chromodorididae, (Nudibranchia). Asian Marine Biology, 7: 31-79

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman & Brian Darvell

Rudman, W.B. & Darvell, B.W., 2001 (Aug 13) Noumea nivalis from Hong Kong. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5034