Tambja mullineri
Farmer, 1978

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Polyceridae
Subfamily: Nembrothinae

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from the Galapagos Ids, E. Pacific

PHOTO

North Seymour Island, Galapagos Ids. July 2003. 30-40 feet. Approx 20mm long. Photo: Patty Dilworth

Body dark blue with a pattern of lighter blue longitudinal bands. The blue bands are outlined with a thin dark blue black edge. The 5 gill lamellae are dark blue and the broad outer face of each gill is the same lighter blue as the longitudinal bands on the body. There is a thin light blue line up the inside edge of each gill. The rhinophore leaflets are light blue with a dark blue band uo the anterior and posterior midlines.

There appears to be some colour variability in this species. In the original description Farmer describes the background colour as 'ochre-turquoise' and the longitudinal bands as 'turquoise'. A photo by Marc Chamberlain [http://slugsite.us/bow/nudwk124.htm] from Galapagos shows an animal with a black (or very blue-black) background and blue longitudinal bands and a photo by Anne Dupont [http://www.medslugs.de/E/Pac-E/Tambja_mullineri_01.htm] shows animals with a dark green background colour.

• Farmer, W. M. (1978) Tambja and Roboastra (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia) from the Gulf of California and the Galapagos Islands. The Veliger, 20(4): 375-385.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2004 (January 19) Tambja mullineri Farmer, 1978. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/tambmull

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