Polycera capensis
Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Polyceridae
Subfamily: Polycerinae
DISTRIBUTION
Originally described from South Africa but commonly reported from Sydney to Port Stephens in central New South Wales in eastern Australia. Apparently introduced artificially, perhaps on bryozoans fouling the bottom of ships.
PHOTO
Two-Fold Bay, central New South Wales, March 1986. PHOTO: Bill Rudman.
RELATED TOPIC
Body elongated, smooth, bearing conspicuous papillae on either side of the gills, and six issuing from the frontal margin of the head. The ground colour pure white. There are yellow lines along the sides of the dorsum and down the centre of the dorsal metapodium; the tubercles are all yellow coloured. Black longitudinal lines ocurred in the centre of the back as well as along the flanks. In addition there are often small black spots within yellow areas or lines, and vice versa. The dark grey rhinophores each bear oblique lamellae. Each rhinophore is tipped with white; raised pallial sheaths not present. The gills are dark grey in colour, tipped with vivid yellow. They are eight to ten in number and bear short insignificant oral tentacular lobes. The propodial border is produced anterolaterally into short but distinct yellow tipped tentacles.
References:
• Macnae, W. (1958). Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 35(4): 352-4.
• Pruvot-Fol, A. (1934). Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris (6) 11: 75-82.
• Quoy, J.R.C. & Gaimard, J.P. (1824). In Freycinet, Louis de. Voyage autor du monde executé sur les corvettes de S.M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne pendant les années 1817-1820. Zool., pt. 2, Paris, Chapter 11, Description des Mollusques: 410-516, pls 66-72, 75, 87.
• Thompson, T.E. (1975) Journal of Zoology, London 176: 507-8.
Rudman, W.B., 1998 (October 8) Polycera capensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/polycape
Related messages
Polycera capensis from Bare Island, Sydney
March 16, 2007
From: Andrew Trevor-Jones
G'day Bill,
I found this tiny nudibranch on the weekend. I have no idea what it is.
Locality: Bare Island, La Perouse, Sydney, 11.7 m, NSW, Australia. 11 March 2007, Rocky reef with algae and sponges. Length: < 20 mm. Photographer: Andrew Trevor-Jones.
Andrew Trevor-Jones
atj777@attglobal.net
Trevor-Jones, A. G., 2007 (Mar 16) Polycera capensis from Bare Island, Sydney. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19651Dear Andrew,
Since the other messages I am posting today are problems from the Mediterranean and Antarctica, I felt I deserved an easy one from Sydney. This is Polycera capensis. Have a look at the Fact Sheet and attached messages for more information.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: First record of Polycera chilluna from S.Africa
February 9, 2007
From: Peter Southwood
Concerning message #19305:
Hi Bill
These two seem to be what you were asking for. Vulcan Rock is only a few kilometers from the Aster. They seem to recognise each other as the same species.
Locality: Vulcan Rock S34:03.967, E018:18.582 near Hout Bay, about 15 to 20 m, South Africa, South Atlantic, 28 January 2007, Granite corestone reef.. Length: about 25mm. Photographer: Peter Southwood.
Cheers,
Peter
peter.southwood@telkomsa.net
Southwood, P.B., 2007 (Feb 9) Re: First record of Polycera chilluna from S.Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19387
Dear Peter,
Thanks for the almost instant response. Although the penes are not actually inserted, it certainly looks as though they recognise each other as the same species. I hate to be too demanding, but a photo showing actual insertion would be valuable. I ask, because at times initial mating behaviour can occur when related species are in contact. We presume this is because chemical signals are similar in related species. However if two animals are not the same species, mating behaviour doesn't proceed.
Looking carefully at the white animal in your photo I can see a short brown-orange line between the rhinophores, which suggests its one of the group I identified as P. chilluna. This would suggest that what we have in South Africa is either a mixing and hybridisation of two species - most unlikely, or evidence of subspeciation with a colour form in the Atlantic and another in the Indo-West Pacific - also most unusual. This seems to be a situation calling out for some molecular research.
In the meantime I think it would be less confusing if I moved these 'P. chilluna' animals from South Africa to the P. capensis Fact Sheet. It is a very interesting discovery.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: First record of Polycera chilluna from S.Africa
January 24, 2007
From: Wilhelm van Zyl
Concerning message #19278:
Dear Bill,
I have included some more photos of Polycera chilluna. These are of the same individual taken on the same dive as the animal in the lower foto in my previous message [#19278]. These photos were taken on the wreck of the Aster in Hout Bay near Cape Town. The upper foto in the previous message was taken on the wreck of the Pietermaritzburg in False Bay. This will put them on both sides of the Cape Peninsula.
PS. You will notice a second nudibranch in the background of the lower photo. I will send it in a separate message [#19307 ].
Locality: Hout Bay, 20m, Cape Town, Atlantic Ocean, 11 February 2006, Wreck. Length: 5cm. Photographer: Wilhelm van Zyl.
Wilhelm van Zyl
diving@cyberdale.co.za
Note added 9 February 2007: See photo of this form and P. capensis about to mate [message #19387] suggesting this is a colour form of P. capensis.
Dear Wilhelm,
These almost pure white animals certainly look different from most of the photos I have seen of P. chilluna and its European counterpart P. aurantiomarginata, but the thin orange lines and the subapical black band on the rhinophores certainly are the same. The yellow lining to the gills is not so obvious in your specimens but at least one gill [see inset] shows a yellow line extending down both edges. It is certainly an interesting find. Perhaps you should make a mental note to look out for fraternisation between this colour form and the black banded P. capensis.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
First record of Polycera chilluna from S.Africa?
January 22, 2007
From: Wilhelm van Zyl
Dear Bill,
Following on from my earlier message [#19276] about Polycera capensis being one of the more common species of nudibranch we find on dives around the Cape peninsula. Here are two more colour variants. In the upper photo is an animal I recently saw with orange lines instead of the usual black lines. I went back to my older pictures and noticed that some of the animals that I considered to be white also had a very faint orange line (lower photo).
Locality: Cape Peninsula, 10 - 20m, South Africa, Atlantic Ocean, 2005 - 2006, Wrecks. Length: 5cm. Photographer: Wilhelm van Zyl.
Regards
Wilhelm
diving@cyberdale.co.za
Van Zyl, F.W., 2007 (Jan 22) First record of Polycera chilluna from S.Africa?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19278
Note added 9 February 2007: See photo of this form and P. capensis about to mate [message #19387] suggesting this is a colour form of P. capensis.
Dear Wilhelm,
Thanks for these photos. I think they are more exciting than strange colour forms of P. capensis. I am pretty sure they are 'albino' forms of Polycera chilluna, a species first described from the Atlantic coast of Nth America. We have a number of records of it on the Forum, and you will see that I consider the east Atlantic species P. aurantiomarginata to be a synonym. As P. aurantiomarginata, it has been recorded from as far south as Angola on the west African coast, some it is not that strange for it to occur in the cape region of South Africa.
You will notice that in many photos of P. chilluna, the yellow lines have become an orange-brown as in your animals. The other distinctive difference is that the rhinophores, rather than being entirely black as in P. capensis, have a black subapical band, which is also present in P. chilluna. The gills in P. capensis are also black with a yellow tip, while the gills in P. chilluna also have a subapical black band - sometimes obscured in heavily pigmented animals. The gills also have a yellow band up both the inside and outside edge of each gill in P. chilluna while in P. capensis, yellow pigment on the gill is restricted to the tip. In your photos I can see a short yellow streak down the outer edge of the gills in one animal ad trabes of yellow streaks down both te inside and outside of the gills in the other.
P. chilluna usually has a greyish black background colour, but if this was missing, your animals could clealry be that species. Some animals which have been identified as P. quadrilineata, also look like P. chilluna, but the upper half of the rhinophores is yellow. P. quadrilineata appears to be another exampe of a polycerid with black and white colour forms.
It would be nice to have some more photos showing the gills more clearly, if you have any. What I am specifically looking for is traces of a yellow line up the inneer and outer edges. Also it would be nice to know if these 'colour forms' are associated with the same or different bryozoan colonies. It might be one more character we could use to determine if they are different. This is an interesting observation.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Colour forms in Polycera capensis from Sth Africa
January 22, 2007
From: Wilhelm van Zyl
Dear Bill,
Dear Bill,
Polycera capensis is one of the more common species of nudibranch we find on dives around the Cape peninsula and I see one on just about every dive. I have noticed a lot of colour variation within the species, and have included some of them for your website. The first is the typical colour form and probably also the most abundant (Upper photo). The black longitudinal lines on the body vary in thickness, and in some animals there is almost no line. Some animals also have a yellow line extending from the papillae on the back the papillae on the head (Lower photo ).
Recently I saw another animal with orange lines instead of the usual black lines. I went back to my older pictures and noticed the animals that I considered to be white also had a very faint orange line. I have sent them in a separate message [#19278 ] .
Locality: Cape Peninsula, 10 - 20m, South Africa, Atlantic Ocean, 2005 - 2006, Wrecks. Length: 5cm. Photographer: Wilhelm van Zyl.
Regards
Wilhelm
diving@cyberdale.co.za
Van Zyl, F.W., 2007 (Jan 22) Colour forms in Polycera capensis from Sth Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19276
Dear Wilhelm,
It's nice to get some photos of this species from where it was first collected and named some 180 years ago. Interestingly the colour form with the thin yellow line down each side of the body, in your lower photo, is the colour form I have on the species Fact Sheet - a an animal from here in Sydney. As in South Africa, it is not a common colour form here either. As I discuss in your other message, I suspect the animals there with orange lines are a different species.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis laying eggs
February 6, 2006
From: Leanne & David Atkinson
Dear Bill,
We've been seeing a lot of Polycera capensis at Port Stephens lately. Many have been mating and laying eggs. This shot shows more clearly the eggs coming out of the body than our previous message.This Polycera is laying on an ascidian.
Locality: Fly Point Marine Reserve, Port Stephnes. NSW Australia. Depth: 14 m.Length: 25 mm. 29 January.2006. Sandy bottom with sponges soft corals and ascidians. Photo: Leanne & David Atkinson
Regards,
Leanne & David Atkinson
atk@hunterlink.net.au
Atkinson, L. & D., 2006 (Feb 6) Polycera capensis laying eggs. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15747
Thanks Leanne & David,
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis feeding
January 26, 2006
From: Leanne & David Atkinson
Dear Bill,
There are lots of Polycera capensis around at Port Stephens at the moment but not much Bugula dentata which we thought it fed on. It seems to be turning up regularly on this orange / brown thing that looks quite fern like. Here are some photos of them on it, not sure if they are feeding.
Locality: Fly Point and The Pipeline, Port Stephens, NSW, Australia. Depth: 10 -15 metres. Length: 30 to 50 mm. 30 December 2005 & 08 January 2006. Sandy bottom with scattered sponges, ascidians and soft corals. Photographer: Leanne & David Atkinson
Regards,
Leanne & David Atkinson
atk@hunterlink.net.au
Dear Leanne & David,
Yes this is a bryozoan, but as you say not Bugula dentata. In fact in the centre right photo there seem to be three bryozoan colonies, the one Polycera seems to be feeding on, a finely branched one below, and a white skeleton of the third at the top of the picture. The white skeleton above, is the reason bryozoans are sometimes called 'Lace Corals'.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis from eastern Australia
November 23, 2005
From: Bruce Potter
Dear Bill,
I dived the Pipeline in Nelson Bay yesterday, and found the usual haul of nudibranchs. I thought this Polycera capensis was very interesting. It was at about 8 meters depth, and would have been about 40 mm long.
Locality: Nelson Bay. Port Stephens, NSW. Australia. Depth: 8 Metres. Length: 40 mm. 20 November 2005. Kelp, Algae, Sponges. Photographer: Bruce Potter
Regards
Bruce Potter.
bandppotter@bigpond.com
Potter, B., 2005 (Nov 23) Polycera capensis from eastern Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15322
Thanks Bruce,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis from Jervis Bay [1]
June 4, 2003
From: Sue Newson
Hi Bill,
I was reading the messages regarding Polycera capensis and its distribution. I have found it in Jervis Bay [New South Wales, Australia] on 3 occasions, The first (6 January 2000) being at a site called The Southern Scallop Beds at a depth of 19m, This site is in the middle of the bay and has a silty bottom. The second sighting (30 November 2002) was at a depth of 11m on a silty bottom. This dive was west of Murrays Beach Boat Ramp. I have included a photo of this one.
Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of the first encounter with this nudibranch, but the picture I drew in my log book is exactly the same as the nudibranch in this photo. I will send a separate message regarding the third sighting of this nudibranch on a separate message as there is slight differences between the two. Perhaps a juvenile?
Sue Newson
snewson@shoal.net.au
Newson, S., 2003 (Jun 4) Polycera capensis from Jervis Bay [1]. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10063Thanks Sue,
Bill Rudman.
Polycera capensis from Jervis Bay [2]
June 4, 2003
From: Sue Newson
Hi Bill,
To continue my previous message, about Polycera capensis in Jervis Bay [New South Wales, Australia] the third sighting of this nudibranch was in the same general area west of Murrays Beach Boat Ramp (26 April 2003) at a depth of 12m. I have attached 3 photos of this one showing different aspects.
Further information regarding these dives that you might find of interest was the other species that were sighted.
6 January 2000: Armina sp., Doriopsilla carneola, and Hypselodoris obscura.
30 NOvember 2002: Doriopsilla carneola
26 April 2003: Hypselodoris obscura
Sue Newson
snewson@shoal.net.au
Thanks Sue,
You mentioned in your previous message that this could be a juvenile, and from the algal filament in the upper photo I guess it is quite small. The main difference is the absence of the pair of yellow papillae flanking the gills [sometime called extrapallial processes]. There is usually some sign of these even in juveniles. I am sure this is P. capensis so I guess we can say that this animal has a slight inperfection.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis mating
April 3, 2003
From: Leanne & David Atkinson
Dear Bill,
After I sent the photo of Polycera capensis laying eggs I searched my collection at home and found a picture of them mating. I hadn't recorded details, but from the photos around it, I would guess it was taken in 1997 during the summer. It would have been at one of the Port Stephens dive sites, daytime, on the high tide. By the growth underneath them it looks quite shallow around the 10 meter mark. We've now started organising a " nudibranch " album rather than going dive by dive (which is starting to stretch the memory when we have to find specific photos).
Cheers,
Leanne & David Atkinson
atk@hunterlink.net.au
Atkinson, L & D., 2003 (Apr 3) Polycera capensis mating. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9496Thanks,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis laying eggs
March 26, 2003
From: Leanne & David Atkinson
Dear Bill,
We've been reading some old discussion about Polycera capensis on the Forum. Until then we'd assumed it was a "native" of Port Stephens since it occurs in all the major harbour dive sites; Halifax Park, Little Beach, Fly Point and The Pipeline/Fisherman's Co-Op. Soft Corals. I've (Leanne) been photographing it there since 1985. It is relatively common there in the summer months even in the October 2001 to April 2002 season that was very poor for nudibranchs. We've sent this photo since although you had Polycera capensis eggs on the site you didn't have one actually laying them.
Location: Fly Point, Port Stephens, N.S.W. Eastern Australia
Depth: 14m
Date: 9th October 2002
Daytime on the high tide
Leanne & David Atkinson
atk@hunterlink.net.au
Atkinson, L & D., 2003 (Mar 26) Polycera capensis laying eggs. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9425Thanks Leanne & David,
The presence of these animals which feed on 'ephemeral' bryozoan colonies, is highly dependent on the presence of the bryozoan. So a semi-permanent population of P. capensis in Port Stephens is more a measure of the health of the bryozoan populations, than a measure of the origin of P. capensis. I guess there may be a way using DNA to unravel the mystery of whether P. capensis originated at the Cape of Good Hope, or was just first found there. Similar mysteries exist with Polycera hedgepethi and Thecacera pennigera.
The weedy growth it is on is the arborescent bryozoan Bugula dentata, which is its usual food colony. There is a message on the Forum showing it on Bugula with Tambja verconis, which also prefers this bryozoan.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Polycera cf. capensis from South Africa
January 31, 2003
From: Valda Fraser
Dear Bill,
Hoped to get a great shot of this Polycera capensis but the anterior end is troublesome! Sorry, best I could do!
Locality: Cape St Francis, Eastern Cape, South Africa, Depth: 20m, Size: 30mm. Date: Jan 2003
Regards,
Valda Fraser
valdafraser@mweb.co.za
Fraser, V., 2003 (Jan 31) Polycera cf. capensis from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9080Thanks Valda,
I'm not sure if this is P. capensis. Your animal has 3 or 4 pairs of 'extrabranchial processes' [papillae around the gills], while P. capensis usually has one pair. I would be interested in knowing how variable the number of 'extrabranchial processes' is in populations of Polycera you have seen. In Terry Gosliner's book [Photo 174] he illustrates a specimen with 3 or 4 extrabranchial processes and suggests it may be an unnamed species but he also has photos of 'typical' P. capensis and P. quadrilineata and his Photo 174 could almost be an aberrant P. quadrilineata with extra 'extrabranchial processes'. I wonder if sometimes a few extra processes can occur in some of these species?
Cheers,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis from Cape Town
January 31, 2003
From: Rudolph van Jaarsveld
I took this photo early in January 2003 in False Bay, South Africa. It was taken just outside the harbour wall of Simons Town at a depth of about 15 meters. I believe it is called a 'Crowned Nudibranch'. The photo was taken with a Nikonos V, 80mm Nikkor lens with Nikon close-up lens and framer. A single Sea & Sea YS50 strobe was used on manual.
I want to know more about this specific animal.
Rudolph van Jaarsveld
Johannesburg, South Africa.
rudolph@tcm.co.za
Jaarsveld, R., 2003 (Jan 31) Polycera capensis from Cape Town. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9101Dear Rudolph,
Thanks for this photo, which arrived at a very opportune time, as I am also posting a message from Valda Fraser with a photo of a similar, but perhaps different species. I didn't know it was called the 'Crowned Nudibranch' in South Africa. Its scientific name is Polycera capensis and was named after the Cape of Good Hope, where it was first found. Like all species of Polycera it feeds on bryozoans - minute animals, which grow as plant-like colonies - of the genus Bugula. In Terry Gosliner's book he records this species in southern Africa from the Luderitz in Namibia to Port Alfred, in South Africa. It is also not uncommon in south eastern Australia, and we assume it reached Australia by travelling on its food bryozoan, which often attaches to the hulls of boats.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis from Sydney
December 2, 2002
From: Iain Whyte
Hi Bill,
Your entry for Polycera capensis mentions you'd be interested in any sightings. I found a large Polycera capensis at Gordon's Bay, in Sydney.
Iain Whyte
q@thewell.au.com
Thanks Iain,
I notice little clumps of a blue plant-like growth in your photos [see lower left photo]. These are small colonies of an animal - the bryozoan Bugula dentata -on which P. capensis feeds.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis from Port Stephens, NSW
November 20, 2002
From: Allan Saben
Bill,
Here is a photo of Polycera capensis. It was photographed in 2001 on the Old Sewerage pipe, 15 meters, Port Stevens, NSW, Australia.
Best wishes,
Allan
asaben@bigpond.net.au
Saben, A., 2002 (Nov 20) Polycera capensis from Port Stephens, NSW. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8432Thanks Allan,
Bill Rudman
Polycerid from South Africa
February 1, 2002
From: Erwin Köhler
Dear Bill,
Here is a shot from False Bay, South Africa, by Guido Del Giudice
Email: guidodg@iafrica.com
other data not recorded.
Erwin
Erwin@medslugs.de
Köhler, E., 2002 (Feb 1) Polycerid from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6146Dear Erwin,
According to Terry Gosliner, Polycera capensis in South Africa sometimes lacks any black pigmentation, so I guess that is what it is. I can't remember any Australian specimens without black. If anyone in eastern Australia happens upon a 'colony' of P. capensis it would be an interesting thing to check on.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis in southern New South Wales
March 26, 2001
From: Erik Schloegl
Dear Bill,
Some time ago I sent you a photo of Polycera capensis in Sydney and you noted that you are interested in records of this animal to see whether it is an established part of the local fauna. So here's another photo of what I think is Polycera capensis. The larger animal obviously is Tambja verconis. The picture was taken on 25 September 1999 at Tathra Wharf in southern New South Wales. The depth was 12m on a sand/rubble bottom.
Best regards,
Erik
Erik.Schlogl@uts.edu.au
Schloegl, E., 2001 (Mar 26) Polycera capensis in southern New South Wales. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4013Thanks Erik,
Yes, any records of these apparent 'hitchhikers' are welcome. We have a long way to go to sort out fact from fiction, and unfortunately we are very short on 'facts' concerning their distribution and continued presence. The blackish plant-like growth they are both on is Bugula dentata an arborescent bryozoan that Tambja verconis is often found on. I have repeated part of your message on a separate page so that the record of T. verconis is cross referenced.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Polycera capensis from Sydney
June 19, 2000
From: P.Zylstra & H.Rothenfluh
Hi,
We found this Polycera capensis at Clifton Gardens wharf, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 13 May 2000. It was in about 7m. We saw one here last year in October too.
Cheers
Paula Zylstra
Harry Rothenfluh
hsrpz@netspeed.com.au
Zylstra,P. & Rothenfluh,H., 2000 (Jun 19) Polycera capensis from Sydney. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2585Dear Paula & Harry,
Your Polycera capensis looks a bit lonely. Usually there are found in groups on the bryozoan they eat. Perhaps this is a straggler looking for food after the bryozoan colony was eaten out.
Bets wishes,
Bill Rudman.
Polycera capensis south of Sydney
March 6, 2000
From: Erik Schloegl
Dear Bill,
Finally I again found some time to browse the Sea Slug Forum and on the page on Polycera capensis I came across your remark that you'd be interested in any records of this animal. This photo was taken on March 22, 1998 at Osborne Shoals, a dive site just outside Port Hacking, New South Wales. [southern outskirts of Sydney]
Best regards,
Erik Schloegl
schloegl@maths.uts.edu.au
Schloegl, E., 2000 (Mar 6) Polycera capensis south of Sydney. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2027Thanks Erik,
Why I am interested in records is to see whether it is a permanent member of the fauna or whether sightings are the result of irregular arrivals of breeding adults on the bottom of boats.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.
Distribution of Polycera capensis in Australia
October 8, 1998
From: Richard Willan
Dear Bill,
Wayne Ellis has told me you have had heart surgery recently. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
I wonder if you could post the following request on the opisthobranch forum please?
Can anyone tell me the present northern and/or southern limit of the Australian range of the introduced Polycera capensis please? It would be nice if you had a photo of Polycera capensis to accompany it.
Many thanks,
Richard Willan
Northern Territory Museum
Darwin.
richard.willan@nt.gov.au
Willan, R., 1998 (Oct 8) Distribution of Polycera capensis in Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/252Dear Richard,
Providing a photo is no problem. I have found it from Sydney and Broken Bay in mid New South Wales. Wayne Ellis reports it from Port Stephens, a bit further north of Sydney in his species list, but I don't know of other records. If anyone has a photo or record of this animal, which can occur in large numbers on its food, arborescent bryozoans, please let us know. Bill Rudman.
