Trapania sp. 1 from Indian Ocean

August 2, 2004
From: Yves Coze & Stefaan Dewulf


Note added 12 March 2008: This species has been named Trapania naeva.

Dear Bill,
I'm please to notice that you are online again. I've been keeping a picture for some time now. It's seems to be reported as a Trapania sp. 1 on the Forum.

I'm sending them now because we've just spotted two of them here yesterday [30 July 2004] in Reunion Island at the Cap La Houssaye diving spot. Depth approx 12 m. Unfortunately the picture isn't all that good, but it seems they were mating at the time we spotted them [upper and lower photos].

We'll be checking during the next few days in case eggs can be seen there, or if we spot more. It's the very first time we spotted some, though in a local book we found a picture of them. So they seem to be spotted from time to time.

In addition, I spotted one of them last year at Pemba Island [Tanzania] (October 2003) at a depth of approx 20 m on a sponge (no eating evidence) [middle photo]. The diving was called Slobodan Bunker as I recall. I hope this will help to define where these nudis can be found.

Greetings
Yves

dive@rando-reunion.com

Coze, Y. & Dewulf, S., 2004 (Aug 2) Trapania sp. 1 from Indian Ocean. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12707

Dear Yves & Stefan,
Thanks for these observations. It certainly seems that this species has a wide distribution in the Indo-West Pacific. I can't be sure if your animals were mating. Opisthobranchs are hermaphrodite [with a fully functional male and female systems]. The copulatory organs open on the right side of their bodies so in mating their right sides have to be touching. I am not sure in the photo alongside, but in the top photo they just seem to be having a chat.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2004 (Aug 2). Comment on Trapania sp. 1 from Indian Ocean by Yves Coze & Stefaan Dewulf. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12707

Factsheet

Trapania naeva

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