Thorunna africana
Rudman, 1984
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Chromodorididae
DISTRIBUTION
Previously known only from Tanzania and the Red Sea. Reported on the Forum from the Andaman Sea [#23489]
PHOTO
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 16mm long preserved, July 1974. PHOTO: Bill Rudman.
This species is characterised by the gold mantle border and the red outer edge to the gills and to the tip of the rhinophore clubs. It is similar to Thorunna furtiva but the border in that species is a brownish yellow, and the gills and rhinophores are coloured with brownish yellow. Like most species of Thorunna the gills wiggle rhythmically as the animal is crawling along.
References:
• Rudman, W.B. (1984) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: a review of the genera. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 81: 115-273.
• 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., 1998 (November 11) Thorunna africana Rudman, 1984. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/thorafri
Related messages
Thorunna africana from Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
April 15, 2010
From: Vishal Bhave
Dear Bill,
We observed this slug at Port Blair. I think it is Thorunna africana and I have seen the movements of gills that you have mention in the factsheet.
Locality: Port Blair, 0.3 meters, Andaman & Nicobar Island, India, Andaman Sea, 5 March 2010, Intertidal, reef. Length: 25 mm. Photographer: Vishal Bhave.
Thank you.
Vishal Bhave
vishalbhave@gmail.com
Bhave, V.J., 2010 (Apr 15) Thorunna africana from Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/23489Dear Vishal,
This is an interesting extension of the known geographic range of this species from the coast of east Africa and the Red Sea. Contributions to the Forum, such as yours, are showing that many species we previously thought were restricted to the western Indian Ocean are also to be found along the northern coast of the Indian Ocean as far east as Thailand.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Hunchbacked Thorunna africana
March 25, 2006
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
Found this small Thorunna africana last week. When i went over the photos i noticed that it has a small hump. Another photo to the mutants page?
Locality: The "Yetush", ~28 meters, Israel, Red Sea, 11 March 2006, Coral heads. Length: 1.5cm. Photographer: Oren Lederman.
Oren Lederman
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Lederman, O., 2006 (Mar 25) Hunchbacked Thorunna africana. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16125
Dear Oren,
It sometimes difficult to know whether something like this is the result of a fault during development or a result of regrowth after damage from an attack or accident.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Thorunna africana from the Red Sea
August 15, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Sorry Bill,
When i took the photo [message #14545] i didn't know they were Thorunna africana (they looked familiar, but i wasn't sure). Plus, there was a big lion-fish next to them that kept getting too close to my hands (tried to scare it a way a little, but it wouldn't move). I hope i'll have better luck next time...
Oren
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Lederman, O., 2005 (Aug 15) Re: Thorunna africana from the Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14550Dear Oren,
No problems - I'm ever hopeful. Lion fish are not worth playing games with - I remember a friend and I snorkelling in Tanzania on opposite sides of a small coral island and finding him face down at the waters edge where he'd dragged himself after being charged - and stabbed - by a lion fish. Luckily he recovered but it certainly opened my eyes to their real nature.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thorunna africana from the Red Sea
August 12, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
Two weeks ago I found not one, but three more Thorunna africana on a single dive. The longest one (about 1.5 cm) was spotted at the begining of the dive (~22m) and the two others were spotted a few minutes later (~28 meters).
Locality: The "Dekel", Eilat Bay, Israel, Red Sea. Depth: ~22m - 28 m. Length: 0.5 - 1.5 cm. 30 Jul 2005. Photographer: Oren Lederman
Oren Lederman
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Thanks Oren,
These small chromodorids are an interesting genus with very strange radular teeth. Could you check your photos to see if one shows the sponge they are on more clearly?
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thorunna africana from the Red Sea
February 24, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
Here is a nudibranch I recently photographed at Eilat that I can't identify.
Locality: North beach, Eilat Bay, Israel, Red Sea.
Depth: ~20 meters. Length: ~1 cm. 18 Feb 2005. Photographer: Oren Lederman
Oren Lederman
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Lederman, O., 2005 (Feb 24) Thorunna africana from the Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13216Dear Oren,
This is an interesting find. To my knowledge this is only the third time that this species has been recorded. It is Thorunna africana, which I named some years ago from specimens from Tanzania and the Sudanese Red Sea. Species of Thorunna are quite small, for chromodorids, and one characteristic feature is that the gills are held upright in a goblet-shaped group, and they wave rhythmically as the animal crawls along.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
