Hypselodoris bilineata from Portugal

June 2, 2006
From: David Abecasis

Hello Bill,

Here's another specimen on which I have some doubts. The central line seems to extend beyond the rhinophores, ending in a "T" just like it is supposed to in Hypselodoris fontandraui. On the other end it looks like the rhinophores have a yellow line like in H. cantabrica, although no yellow spots are present.

Locality: Faro, 14 metres, Portugal, Atlantic Ocean, 20 April 2006, rocky bottom. Photographer: David Abecasis.

I hope you can help me out!
Many thanks,
David

dabecassis@ualg.pt

Abecasis, D., 2006 (Jun 2) Hypselodoris bilineata from Portugal. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16622

Dear David,
I also hope I can help you out - but I do have my hesitations concerning the Atlantic blue chromodorids. Two features of the colour pattern stand out in this animal. One is the anterior part of the median yellow line, which is double, and the second is the way the light blue patches fill up most of the space between the midline of the mantle and the border. I think these are both unique characters of H. bilineata. It's name 'bilineata' [= two lines] reflect the double yellow lines down the midline, which often merge into one. Quite a few species have a row of light blue patches on the mantle, but they usually form a broken line close to the outer edge of the mantle, rather than filling the space.

So I think this is Hypselodoris bilineata. In your photo the animal seems to be on a reddish brown sponge, but I could be wrong. This species is reported to feed on species of Dysidea, but this doesn't look like a Dysidea. If you have a photo showing the sponge more clearly I would be very interested.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Jun 2). Comment on Hypselodoris bilineata from Portugal by David Abecasis. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16622

Related messages

  1. More Hypselodoris bilineata from Senegal [1]
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia, July 17, 2003
  2. More Hypselodoris bilineata from Senegal [2]
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia, July 17, 2003
  3. Hypselodoris bilineata from Senegal
    From: Marina & Patrice , May 5, 2003
  4. Hypselodoris bilineata from Spain
    From: Luis Sánchez Tocino , November 6, 2001
  5. Hypselodoris bilineata from Spain (2)
    From: Luis Sánchez Tocino , November 6, 2001
  6. Hypselodoris bilineata from Spain
    From: Alma Sánchez, March 5, 2001

Show factsheet and all related messages