Large Pleurobranchus from Victoria, Australia

February 28, 2005
From: Matthew Skinner

I took this photo in Port Phillip Bay in Feb 2005 and dont know what it is, can anyone help ? It was around 40 cm long and 10 cm high. I have pics with a diver in the photo to help prove the size as the thing was the largest sea slug I have seen.

Locality: Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Depth: 4 meters.
Length: 400 mm. 24 Feb 2005. Photographer: Matthew Skinner

Matthew Skinner

skinah@optushome.com.au

Skinner, M., 2005 (Feb 28) Large Pleurobranchus from Victoria, Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13241

Dear Matthew,
This is indeed a large sea slug. It is Pleurobranchus hilli, a large 'pleurobranch' slug, often called a 'side-gilled slug' because they have one large gill on the right side of the body. You can't see it in your photo because it is hidden under the flap of skin that extends out from each side of the back. Have a look at photos in some of the other messages concerning this species for a photo showing the gill. Certainly at 40 cm, your animal must be reaching a record length. Unfortunately there is no 'official list' of biggest and heaviest sea slugs.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Feb 28). Comment on Large Pleurobranchus from Victoria, Australia by Matthew Skinner. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13241

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Pleurobranchus hilli

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