Trapania darvelli
Rudman, 1987

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Goniodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Previously known only from Hong Kong, there are now records on the Forum from the Solomon Ids and Marshall Ids.

PHOTO

2 specimens, 19 April 1986, Cock's Head Rock, Mirs Bay, 7 m, Hong Kong. AM C150348. Photos: Brian Darvell.

This white animal with brown oral tentacles, brown-tipped lateral processes and brown-edged gills and rhinophores differs from all other species of the genus in colour. The largest known specimen has a preserved length of 13 mm.

Trapania sp. 9 may be a colour variant.

  • Rudman,W.B.(1987). The genus Trapania (Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae) in the Indo-West Pacific. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 53: 189-212.
  • Rudman, W.B. & Darvell, B.W. (1990) Opisthobranch molluscs of Hong Kong. Part 1. Goniodorididae, Onchidorididae, Triophidae, Gymnodorididae, Chromodorididae, (Nudibranchia). Asian Marine Biology, 7: 31-79
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (July 5) Trapania darvelli Rudman, 1987. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/trapdarv

Related messages


Radular morphology of Trapania darvelli

March 12, 2008
From: Bill Rudman


To complement today's posting of many new species of Trapania here are some SEM photos showing aspects of the morphology of the radula of Trapania darvelli.

SEM photos showing sections of the radular ribbon of the paratype. AM C150348, 19 April 1986, Site 2.127, Cock's Head Rock, Mirs Bay, 7 m, Hong Kong. SEM Photos: G. Avern. Scale = 10 µm.

  • Rudman, W.B. (1987) The genus Trapania (Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae) in the Indo-West Pacific. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 53: 189-212.

Best wishes
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Mar 12) Radular morphology of Trapania darvelli. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21435

Trapania darvelli from South China Sea

May 30, 2007
From: Richard Swann

Hi Bill

This tiny guy has puzzled me ! My best guess is Thecacera spp possibly a juvenile T. pacifica but it doesn't seem quite right so really i have no idea.

Locality: West Sulug Island, 16 meters, Sabah, Borneo, South China Sea, 1st May 2007, Reef slope, outreef. Length: Approx 4-5mm. Photographer: Richard Swann.

Can you help ?

Best regards
Richard
www.downbelow.co.uk

richard@downbelow.co.uk

Swann, R., 2007 (May 30) Trapania darvelli from South China Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19959

Dear Richard,
This is another nice find. Its identical in colour to a species from Hong Kong which I named Trapania darvelli. We have a couple of later messages which may be that species but I am not sure, so it is good to get a record which I can confidently say is T. darvelli.

Species of Thecacera do look somewhat similar to species of Trapania with lateral papillae alongside the gills and the rhinophores. However in Thecacera the papilla alongside the gills are usuall long straight and erect, while in Trapania they are recurved and are held out horizontally from the body.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (May 30). Comment on Trapania darvelli from South China Sea by Richard Swann. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19959

Trapania darvelli? from the Solomons

February 17, 2002
From: Bruce Potter

Dear Bill,
I found this very small nudibranch a few weeks ago [January 2002], and have not been able to identify it. It was only about 10mm long. It moved around quite actively. It was at about 8 meters, on a coral and rubble site on the outskirts of Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Regards
Bruce Potter.

bruce.potter@adventist.org.sb

Potter, B., 2002 (Feb 17) Trapania darvelli? from the Solomons. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6229

Dear Bruce,
I think this could possibly be Trapania darvelli. I can't see the paired dorsal processes alongside the gills and rhinophores so I could be quite wrong but that would be my first guess. If it is that species it wpould be the first record outside Hong Kong
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Feb 17). Comment on Trapania darvelli? from the Solomons by Bruce Potter. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6229

Trapania darvelli from Hong Kong

February 3, 2002
From: Bill Rudman & Brian Darvell


Here is some information and photos on Trapania darvelli from Brian Darvell's Hong Kong collections.

This white animal with brown oral tentacles, brown-tipped lateral processes and brown-edged gills and rhinophores differs from all other species of the genus in colour.
The largest known specimen has a preserved length of 13 mm.

PHOTO:
AM C150348, 2 specimens, 19 April 1986, Site 2.127, Cock's Head Rock, Mirs Bay, 7 m, Hong Kong. Photos: Brian Darvell.

Hong Kong Collection Records:
AM C150348, 2 specimens, 19 April 1986, Site 2.127, Cock's Head Rock, Mirs Bay, 7 m, Hong Kong.

Reference:
• Rudman, W.B. & Darvell, B.W. (1990) Opisthobranch molluscs of Hong Kong. Part 1. Goniodorididae, Onchidorididae, Triophidae, Gymnodorididae, Chromodorididae, (Nudibranchia). Asian Marine Biology, 7: 31-79

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman & Brian Darvell

Rudman, W.B. & Darvell, B.W., 2002 (Feb 3) Trapania darvelli from Hong Kong. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6012