Pleurobranchaea meckelii
Leue, 1813
Order: NOTASPIDEA
Superfamily: PLEUROBRANCHOIDEA
Family: Pleurobranchidae
PHOTO
Gran Canaria Island, Canary Ids, off West Africa, divesite Sardina del Norte. Size about 7 cm, depth 12 m, June 1999. PHOTO: Arthur J. Telle.
See message below.
References:
•Cattaneo-Vietti,R; Burlando,B; Senes,L (1993): Life history and diet of Pleurobranchaea meckelii (Opisthobranchia: Notaspidea). Journal of Molluscan Studies, 59: 309-313.
•Marcus, E. & Gosliner, T.M. (1984) Review of the family Pleurobranchaeidae (Mollusca, Opisthobranchia). Annals of the South African Museum, 93(1): 1-52.
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (April 11) Pleurobranchaea meckelii Leue, 1813. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/pleumeck
Related messages
Mating Pleurobranchaea meckelii from Turkey
October 28, 2008
From: Tunca Rodoplu
We have spotted these slugs mating in Marmara Sea. I think they are Pleurobranchaea meckelii.
Locality: Neandros Island, 26, Turkey, Marmara Sea, 13 September 2008, Muddy. Length: 10-12 cm. Photographer: Utku Inan.
Tunca Rodoplu
tunca.r@karfo-karacasulu.com
Dear Tunca,
At present it seems best to identify all Mediterranean Pleurobranchaea as P. meckelii. These photos show some of the anatomy of these animals very well. On the right side of the body, hidden below a small flap of skin, which is all that is left of the wide mantle skirt found in most pleurobranchs, are the the reproductive openings, the anus and the gill.
We can see part of the brush-like gill on the left of the photos, while in the centre we can see the penis of each animal, inserted into the female reproductive opening of the partner. In the lower photo I have ringed the anal papillae which lies just above, and in front, of the base of the gill.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Pleurobranchaea meckelii from the French Mediterranean
July 11, 2008
From: Dominique Horst
Concerning message #14055:
Hello Bill,
This should be Pleurobranchaea meckelii (or is it meckeli?).
We've met this species in the same area as Aglaja tricolorata and it seems to live on mud too. This one was one-eyed...
Locality: Cagnes, 8 m, France, Mediterranean sea, 1 July 2008, muddy. Length: 120 mm. Photographer: Elisabeth Juan.
Best regards,
Dom.
dominique.horst@wanadoo.fr
Dear Dom,
Species of Pleurobranchaea all look very similar externally. It is possible that there could be more than one species in the Mediterranean but I am following Lucas Cervera's advice in identifying them all as P. meckelii until a comprehensive study is done.
Concerning the spelling of the name. The International Rules recommend the use of a single i in making up names based on a person's name but since the name of this species was first published with two, we have to continue to spell it meckelii.
Your animal looks like it has been in a fight, its left rhinophore is gone and part of the mantle and the gill seem to be damaged. A likely possibility is that it has been 'mouthed' by a fish and spat out when the acid glands all over its skin began exuded their noxious milky white secretions. You can see these glands - they are the opaque bright white patches on the skin. I am not sure if it has actually lost its left eye. The eyes in these animals are in the body cavity just below the skin. You can see them through the transparent skin, just below the rhinophores. Have a look at the upper photo of P. inconspicua in Jim Lyle's message [#13265]. The eye is the little black spot just below the right rhinophore.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Pleurobranchaea meckelii from Senegal
January 21, 2006
From: Marina Poddubetskaia Ossokine
Dear Bill,
Last June I spent 2 weeks diving in Senegal. This stay was full of surprises and I saw in Dakar more species than in 2003. I found large numbers of this Pleurobranchaea on a deep wreck. If I understand well, we can identify these guys only from their geographical distribution and the species which seems to fit better Senegalese animals is Pleurobranchaea meckelii. Please, tell me if I'm right with this ID.
Also, I add here a photo of the egg-ribbon : they were very numerous all around these specimens.
Locality: 'Nimes' (wreck), Dakar, Senegal Atlantic Ocean, Depth: 33 m. Length od animals: 50 - 65 mm. Egg ribbon: 25 mm high. 4-5 June 2005. deep wreck. Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia - Nembro website
Best wishes,
Marina.
nembro@nembro.info
Dear Marina,
Sorry this has taken a while to post. I am finally getting a bit of time to deal with some of the backlog of messages. According to an earlier message from Lucas Cervera, it seems best to use Pleurobranchaea meckelii for this species at present.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Pleurobranchaea meckelii? from Turkey
March 2, 2004
From: Umut Tural
Dear Bill,
Another species from Mediterranean Sea. I guess,this is a Pleurobranchaea meckelii, it seems to be P. meckelii if you look at external body but considering your message in the Forum says that "there are number of species occurring in the Mediterranean, all look very similar externally & need to look at anatomy of these species able to identify it correctly". So my specimen might be something else, as according to your message we can't identify it from photos. I thought a photo would be adequate. I wish I could have fixed the animal & looked at its anatomy. Perhaps it is a new record from Turkey.
Many thanks in advance.
Best wishes
Umut Tural.
umuttu@tnn.net
Tural, U,, 2004 (Mar 2) Pleurobranchaea meckelii? from Turkey. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12331Dear Umut,
According to Marcus & Gosliner's (1984) revision there are a number of species in the western Atlantic, however as Lucas Cervera comments [#2267], this genus needs further study in your part of the world. I'm afraid that most species of Pleurobranchaea worldwide are very similar in colour - mottled brown - so we are very dependent on anatomical information. Thankfully not all opisthobranchs are so difficult to identify externally.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman
Pleurobranchaea meckelii from Adriatic Sea
November 26, 2003
From: Adam Petrusek
Dear Bill,
I have come across a nice photo of Pleurobranchaea meckelii, which was taken by my friend this spring.
Locality: Mandre, island of Pag, Croatia. May 14, 2003 (night dive: 21:30). Photo: Pavel Simak (Czech Republic)
It might be an addition to the gallery of this species.
All the best
Adam
petrusek@cesnet.cz
Petrusek, A,, 2003 (Nov 26) Pleurobranchaea meckelii from Adriatic Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11487
Thanks Adam,
I've included a close-up showing the gill which sits in the groove on the right side of the body below the mantle overlap. This is why pleurobranchs are sometimes called the 'side-gilled slugs'. I have also included a close-up alongside showing the oral veil and the sensory papillae along edge, which help to detect food items.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman
Re: Pleurobranchaea from Canary Ids
April 14, 2000
From: Lucas Cervera
Dear Bill:
Concerning the identification of the species of Notaspidea from Canary Islands:
The Pleurobranchaea species is P. meckelii. I'm not convinced that in Europe there is more than one species. It would be a good idea to carry out a new re-evaluation of the systematic of this genus.
I hope all this is of help to Erwin Koehler.
All the best.
Lucas.
lucas.cervera@uca.es
Cervera , L., 2000 (Apr 14) Re: Pleurobranchaea from Canary Ids. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2267Thanks Lucas,
Bill Rudman.
Pleurobranchaea from Canary Ids
April 11, 2000
From: Erwin Koehler
Dear Bill,
this photo is from Gran Canaria Island, Spain, made by Arthur J. Telle,
email mercedes@idecnet.com
Size about 7 cm, depth 12 m, June 1999, divesite Sardina del Norte.
Is it Petalifera petalifera (Rang, 1828) [Aplysia]?
Erwin
Medslugs.Koehler@t-online.de
Koehler, E., 2000 (Apr 11) Pleurobranchaea from Canary Ids. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2256Dear Erwin,
This is a species of Pleurobranchaea. There are a number of species apparently occurring in the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic which all look very similar externally. Following Marcus & Gosliner's (1984) review it would need a look at its anatomy to identify it to a species.
Besr wishes,
Bill Rudman.
