Re: Babakina festiva ? from Spain

Dear Javier Santiago,
Thanks for reminding me about Babakina anadoni, which was first described from the Atlantic coast of Spain.  Your animal is obviously the same, as is the one in Vincius Padula's message [#15404]. from Brazil, and Colin Redfern's from the Caribbean [#6695]. At present there doesn't seem to be any clear anatomical differences between the Atlantic specimens and the Pacific forms. In colour, the only real difference is that Atlantic animals seem brighter in colour but we really haven't enough material to know whether this is a consistent difference or not.

My feeling is that they will all turn out to be single species which has spread globally by shipping, but I have no idea where its original home was. So you have a choice of calling your animal Babakina anadoni or Babakina cf. festiva or even Babakina festiva. Whatever you decide to do, the important thing to know is that this is one of the many areas of our science where we can't give a definite answer.

• Ortea, J.A. (1979)  Nota preliminar sobre Rioselleolis anadoni n.gen., n.sp., un nuevo Aeolidaceo (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia) capturado en Ribadesella, Asturias, Espana. Boletin I.D.E.A. Supl. Cienc, 24: 131-141, pls.1-2.
• Rolan, E., Rolan-Alvarez, E., & Ortea, J. (1991): On the report in Galicia (NW Spain) of Tritonia hombergi Cuvier, 1803 and Babakina anadoni (Ortea, 1979) comb. nov. (Mollusca: Nudibranchia). Iberus 10(1): 113-117.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman