Thuridilla multimarginata
Gosliner, 1995
Order: SACOGLOSSA
Superfamily: ELYSIOIDEA
Family: Elysiidae
DISTRIBUTION
Indo-West Pacific
PHOTO
Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia. 7 January 2004, at 8m depths on coral. Body length about 8mm. Photo: Nils Anthes
The animal is essentially orange with white colour markings on the head and a undulating multicoloured submarginal band on the parapodia. There is some blackish shading along the anterior end of the head and at the rhinophore tips. There is an opaque white band running forward on the head between the eyes. It splits in two anteriorly, an arm running up the dorsal surface of each rhinophore. In some animals this white Y is outlined in black. The edge of the parapodia is thrown into sinuous folds and has a conspicuous and characteristic series of colour bands. Right at the parapodial edge is an opaque white band which enlarges into a swelling [perhaps glandular?] at regular intervals along the parapodial margin. Inside this is a thin orange line which follows a wavy course as it runs around each white swelling. The other colour bands follow this same wavy course. Alongside the orange band is a band of black, then blue, then black. Gosliner describes the animals as being 'light to dark green' but the few photos I have seen show the parapodia and other parts of the body as orange. I can only presume that in recently fed animals, the body and parapodia below the colour bands, is green.
References:
• Gosliner, T. M. (1987) Nudibranchs of southern Africa, a guide to opisthobranch molluscs of southern Africa. 136 pp. Sea Challengers.
• Gosliner, T.M. (1995) The genus Thuridilla (Opisthobranchia: Elysiidae) from the tropical Indo-Pacific, with a revision of the phylogeny and systematics of the Elysiidae. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 49(1): 1-54.
• Marshall, J.G. & Willan, R.C., (1999) Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef.
Rudman, W.B., 2004 (January 11) Thuridilla multimarginata Gosliner, 1995. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/thurmult
Related messages
Thuridilla multimarginata found sthn Queensland
September 5, 2007
From: Gary Cobb
HI Bill and everyone!
Please find for your viewing pleasure a very beautiful Thuridilla multimarginata we found on the east end of the Wall at Old Woman Island. The markings and colours are quite spectacular. Yet again the 'Island' provides for quite an array of Sea Slugs!
Locality: Old Woman Island, Sunshine Coast, 10 m, Queensland, Australia, Pacific Ocean, 30 Sept 2006, Subtidal. Length: 11 mm. Photographer: Gary Cobb.
Cheers and happy branching,
Gary Cobb
gary@nudibranch.com.au
Cobb, G.C., 2007 (Sep 5) Thuridilla multimarginata found sthn Queensland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20596
Dear Gary,
Thanks for another record of this species from Australia - or from anywhere. It's good to get photos of these recently described species so we can gradually build up an idea of colour variation in the species - as well as geographical distribution.
I think today is going to be Thuridilla day
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thuridilla multimarginata from Lizard Is., nth Queensland
January 13, 2004
From: Nils Anthes
Dear Bill,
Here are two pictures of the enigmatic Thuridilla multimarginata from Lizard Island (QLD, Australia), 7 January 2004, at 8m depths on coral. Body length about 8mm. There don't seem to be a lot of records from the Great Barrier Reef, and the one from Heron Island appeared to be the first for Australia (see Marshall & Willan's Heron Island book).
Best wishes
Nils
anthes@uni-muenster.de
Anthes, N., 2004 (Jan 13) Thuridilla multimarginata from Lizard Is., nth Queensland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11862
Thanks Nils,
Yes I think this is only the second record of this species from Australia.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman
