Siphopteron ladrones
(Carlson & Hoff, 1974)

Order: CEPHALASPIDEA
Superfamily: PHILINOIDEA
Family: Gastropteridae

DISTRIBUTION

Guam, Okinawa.

PHOTO

Sunabe, Okinawa, Japan. 23 July 2000, 5mm long, 16m depth. Photos: Kazuko Matsuda.

Characterised by its distinctive colour pattern. Head shield with a median yellow-orange line and a diffuse yellow band along the anterior edge. The dorsal hump is yellow or orange with large white spots each bordered with a darker brown orange ring. The outside of the parapodia are brown with a large yellowish spot at the highest point and two basal white spots.

Reference:
• Carlson, C.H. & Hoff, P.J. (1974) The Gastropteridae of Guam. with descriptions of four new species (Opisthobranchia: Cephalaspidea). Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 21(5/6): 345-363.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (August 4) Siphopteron ladrones (Carlson & Hoff, 1974). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/siphladr

Related messages


Siphopteron ladrones from Okinawa, Japan

August 6, 2000
From: Kazuko Matsuda


Dear Bill

Thank you for your reply to my comment about Mexichromis mariei.

This time I'd like to ask about Siphopteron sp. which was found at Sunabe in Okinawa, Japan. It was moving on white algae (Padina minor), swinging its body back and forth. It doesn't look smooth. Although some Siphopteron tigrinum (more than 10) were found in the area where the white algae grew in colonies, the animal in this photo is the only individual of this species that I could find.

Data: 23 July 2000, 5mm long, 16m depth

Could you identify this?

Sincerely,
Kazuko Matsuda

matsu@ii-okinawa.ne.jp

Dear Kazuko,
This is an interesting find. It is Siphopteron ladrones (Carlson & Hoff, 1974) which was originally described from Guam. I don't now of any other records.

Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Aug 6). Comment on Siphopteron ladrones from Okinawa, Japan by Kazuko Matsuda. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2840