Flabellina gracilis? from NY

August 27, 1999
From: Betsey Hansen

Bill,
This group of slides were taken on a night dive on a wreck at 73 feet (34 meters) just last week in the Atlantic Ocean off New York. I went about 10 feet along the wreck and came across a group of more than 50 of the same sea slugs. Needless to say, I didn't move from that spot until I was out of film. These were much smaller than the other two versions I had previously seen, and they were still laying eggs. Their color was also a much brighter red. I was again using a Nikonos V with a 1 to 1 macro. Length about 0.5 inches (12mm)

The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Seashore Creatures shows something similar that is identified as Coryphella rufibranchialis. I also looked in the Marine Life of the North Atlantic by Andrew J. Martinez. He identifies these as Coryphella verrucosa, Coryphella pellucida, and Coryphella sp. with no information on how to tell them apart. The eggs he shows, however, are different from what I saw. His have a much neater pattern.
Best regards,
Betsey Hansen

BHScuba@aol.com

Hansen, E., 1999 (Aug 27) Flabellina gracilis? from NY. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1250

Dear Betsey,
At a guess I would say this is Flabellina gracilis but before I prepare a page, I'll wait until Terry or Sandra or some other kind person sets me straight.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Factsheet

Flabellina gracilis

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