Babakina festiva ? from Spain

July 11, 2006
From: Javier Santiago Caamaño

Dear friends,

Here is a photo of a species that looks like Berghia coerulescens but it has a slightly different coloration. The photo was made in Galicia at a depth of 15 M at the Island of Sálvora (National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia). 

Locality: Isla de Sálvora, 15 m, Galicia (NW Spain), Atlántic Ocean, 24 June 2006, rocky substrate; zone moderately exposed. Length: 15 mm aproximadamente. Photographer: Javier Santiago Caamaño.

Thank you very much.
Javier Santiago.

 

javisan@edu.xunta.es

Santiago Caamaño, J., 2006 (Jul 11) Babakina festiva ? from Spain. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17092

Dear Javier,
This is an interesting find, It is an animal which we are tentatively calling Babakina festiva. As you will see from the other messages on this species, it is either a worldwide species, or there are a number of geographically separated species all with very similar external shape and colour. One of the most distinctive features is the way the rhinophores are joined at the base into a single stalk.

In an earlier message Terry Gosliner mentions that he and Lucas Cervera have found this 'species' in Spain [message #1324], but it is good to see a photograph of an animal from the east Atlantic. It certainly looks similar to photos on the Forum from the Caribbean and Brazil. Babakina festiva (Roller, 1972) was originally described from California, but similar animals have since been found in Japan, New Zealand, and both sides of the Atlantic. The only other one that has been named is B. caprinsulensis  from New Zealand. It is possible that they are all forms of a single species which has been transported around the world by shipping.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Jul 11). Comment on Babakina festiva ? from Spain by Javier Santiago Caamaño. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17092

Factsheet

Babakina cf. festiva

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