Noumea purpurea? from South Africa

January 29, 2000
From: Valda Fraser

Dear Bill
I think the animal is Noumea purpurea, but I would like you to confirm this.
Locality: South Coast KwaZulu-Natal SOUTH AFRICA. Park Rynie - 25m
Size: 40mm
Date: 28 December 1999

Regards
Valda Fraser

iti04937@mweb.co.za

Fraser, V., 2000 (Jan 29) Noumea purpurea? from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1718

Dear Valda,
I am pretty sure this is Noumea varians. If you have a look at the Noumea purpurea colour group page you will see that Noumea varians has quite a distinctive shape with a constriction in the mantle skirt just behind the gills and a wide rounded spatula-like anterior end. Your animal has a complete white median line unlike specimens I have seen from the Pacific but it seems to have two narrow points which equate to the breaks in the line found in Pacific specimens.

Of course only the anatomy will confirm this but my bet would be on Noumea varians.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Jan 29). Comment on Noumea purpurea? from South Africa by Valda Fraser. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1718

Factsheet

Noumea varians

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