Glossodoris tomsmithi from Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

May 1, 2007
From: Kristin Anderson

Dear Bill,

Came across this nudibranch for the first time in October 2006. The closest I can see is Glossodoris tomsmithi

Locality: Lighthouse Bay, Ningaloo Reef, 12m, Western Australia, Indian Ocean, 19 October 2006, limestone & hard coral reef. Length: 3 cms. Photographer: Kristin Anderson.

Kristin Anderson

kristin@oceansbyanderson.com

Anderson, K.J., 2007 (May 1) Glossodoris tomsmithi from Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18446

Dear Kristin,
I am pretty sure this is indeed G. tomsmithi - at least externally. The colour is identical to Hawaiian animals. It is indeed a strange find, as this species is only known at present from Hawaii and the Marshall Ids. If this is a natural distribution it's strange it hasn't been reported from other parts of the Pacific, before this find in the Indian Ocean.

Very interesting,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (May 1). Comment on Glossodoris tomsmithi from Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia by Kristin Anderson. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18446

Factsheet

Glossodoris tomsmithi

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