Flabellina trilineata? from California

June 3, 2005
From: Denise Weisman


Hello,
A co-worker collected and photographed this nudibranch from the San Clemente Artificial Reef, California.  From the annulate rhinophores (and faintly visible white dorsal line) we are guessing Flabellina trilineata and that the dark cores of the cerata and lack of white tips are either just a color variation or possibly Cuthona lagunae.

Locality: San Clemente Artificial Reef, California, USA. Depth: 50 feet. Length: ~3 cm. 07 November 2003. Subtidal quarry rock. Photographer: Danielle Toole

The white lines look black in the upper photo. This is some strange affect of photographing it on a white background. They were definitely white.

Thanks for you help,
Denise Weisman

weisman@lifesci.ucsb.edu

Weisman, D, 2005 (Jun 3) Flabellina trilineata? from California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13904

Dear Denise,
This seems to be F. trilineata although as you say the ceratal digestive gland is usually described as ranging from from red to orange. I haven't heard of  one with a black digestive gland. This colour form certainly looks superficially like Cuthona lagunae but that species does not have the three white lines, nor tentacular anterior foot corners, nor lamellate rhinophores.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Jun 3). Comment on Flabellina trilineata? from California by Denise Weisman. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13904

Factsheet

Flabellina trilineata

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