Pleurobranchus weberi
(Bergh, 1905)

Order: NOTASPIDEA
Superfamily: PLEUROBRANCHOIDEA
Family: Pleurobranchidae

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from Indonesia, Philippines.

PHOTO

Malapascua Is., Philippines, divesite "Japanese Cargo Wreck". Depth: 25m. Length: 18-20cm. 23 Feb. 2003. Photo: Erwin Koehler

Large purplish brown pleurobranch with white double rings on the mantle. Mantle with small rounded tubercles. Apart from a record from Mindinao, Philippines on Mike Miller's site [http://slugsite.us/bow/nudwk132.htm], I know of no other published record of this species since its original description from Saleyer Is., S of Celebes, Indonesia (Bergh, 1905). The colour plate [Plate 2, fig 1 - as Oscanius weberi] clearly shows the conspicuous double white rings on the mantle. This species has colour similarities to the dark purple colour form of Pleurobranchus forskali, but in that species if white rings are present, they are single half circles which line the outer edge of each of the mantle tubercles. In P. weberi, the mantle tuberles are much smaller, and the white circles are independent of the tubercles. Like P. forskalii this species apparently grows to quite a large size - at last 20cm.

Reference:
• Bergh, L.S.R. (1905). Die Opisthobranchiata. Siboga Expeditie Report, 50: 248pp., Pls 1-20.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2003 (April 13) Pleurobranchus weberi (Bergh, 1905). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/pleuwebe

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