Mystery from the Philippines

December 8, 2006
From: Gaetan White


Dear sirs,

I try not to touch or displace anything in the sea so this creature 12 to 15 cm diameter, was in situ when the pics were taken, (beginning of slack). I went back including night dives and didn't find it again unfortunately. These were taken on Siquijor, Philippines. on 3/3/2005, in the comparatively weather-protected bay off KIWI dive resort, at "Paquit point" drop-off, vis 5-10 m between 10-15 meters depth, during slightly heavy seas. It was near the edge of the coral overhang behind which is the sand bottomed coral plateau. The area has heavy tidal currents sweeping in a constant direction. It did not have an attached stem and had maybe just arrived with the crinoid Comaster multifidus (One of many arriving with the current.)

I have asked many diver-travellers and institutes what it is, but as yet have not received a reply. I wondered if it was a velutinid [Coriocella or Chelynotus spp]

Locality: Siquijor, 10 m, Philippines, Bohol sea, 3-3-2005, see text. Length: 12 cm. Photographer: Gaetan White.

Considering its one of the few creatures I have not managed to name in my personal photo identification collection, mainly of sea, aquatic species, (Nudis. Syngna. Eels. Snakes. ETC) taken in Phil, but also Mal. Indo. Thai. Viet. Lao. (some copied from Net because of exceptional interest, or because i've seen them, but not been able to take pics, (no or drowned cameras)), I would greatly appreciate knowing what it is. As yet no institutes have replied, but i can't tell if its because its a common creature and they can't be bothered to reply, or if they don't know!

Thanks for your reply.

Gaetan White

gaetan.white@wanadoo.fr

White, G.A., 2006 (Dec 8) Mystery from the Philippines. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18954

Dear Gaetan,

Thank you for the very beautiful and interesting submission. I can understand why none of the institutions you contacted have replied. I am afraid that without a peek at the underside of this creature we can only speculate. At this point I am not even sure it is a mollusc. Because of the radial symmetry and the leather like appearance of the "skin", I suspect that you have some kind of seastar. Whether juvenile or adult, is uncertain.

What this animal is doing on a crinoid is also problematic. Neither molluscs nor other echinoderms are known to hang out on feather stars. We would really need to get a look at its underside to determine if it has tube feet or a mollusc like foot. Sorry we are not of much help.

Keep up the good work,
Dave Behrens

Behrens, D.W., 2006 (Dec 8). Comment on Mystery from the Philippines by Gaetan White. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18954

Factsheet

Unidentified - Indo West Pacific

Related messages

  1. Elysia sp. from the Seychelles
    From: David K. A. Barnes, August 27, 2007
  2. Glaucid sp. from NE Bali, Indonesia
    From: Lindsay Warren, July 12, 2007
  3. An Aeolid from the Gulf of Oman
    From: Dragan Petkovic, July 5, 2007
  4. Phyllodesmium sp? from Lembeh Strait
    From: Mike Krampf, February 17, 2007
  5. Master of camouflage - unknown aeolid
    From: Erwin Kodiat, January 4, 2007
  6. Chromodorid from Indonesia
    From: Ann Clear, December 21, 2006
  7. Unknown nembrothid from Indonesia
    From: Ann Clear, December 20, 2006
  8. Re: Mystery from the Philippines - final word
    From: Scott Johnson, December 13, 2006
  9. Re: Mystery from the Philippines
    From: Philip Cromwell, December 12, 2006
  10. Mystery from the Philippines
    From: Lara Henry, December 12, 2006
  11. Rostanga from Sri Lanka
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia, March 12, 2005
  12. Nembrotha from Malaysia
    From: Isabelle Drouet, February 26, 2004
  13. Favorinus? from sth Queensland
    From: Gary Cobb, February 11, 2004
  14. Unknown Nudi found in the Red Sea
    From: Jason Bell, February 4, 2003
  15. Hoplodoris? from Egyptian Red Sea
    From: Jason Bell, January 31, 2003
  16. Phyllidiella zeylanica? from Indian Ocean
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia , November 16, 2002
  17. Aeolid from Thailand
    From: Erwin Koehler, October 23, 2002
  18. Elysiids from Indonesia
    From: Erwin Koehler, October 21, 2002
  19. An unknown aeolid from Bali
    From: Rika Nozoe, October 3, 2002
  20. Re: Elysiid from the Red Sea
    From: Erwin Koehler, October 3, 2002
  21. Phyllidia melanocera? from Egypt (2)
    From: Michael Mrutzek, September 30, 2002
  22. Phyllidia melanocera? from Red Sea
    From: Michael Mrutzek, September 28, 2002
  23. Need help identifying
    From: Sabine Noack, September 18, 2002
  24. Dermatobranchus from aquarium
    From: Christel Theate, September 18, 2002
  25. Aeolid from the Philippines
    From: Erwin Koehler, July 30, 2002
  26. Eolid from Enewetak, Marshall Islands
    From: Scott Johnson, July 18, 2002
  27. Strange dorid from Hachijo Island, Japan
    From: Shouichi Kato, May 3, 2002
  28. Cephalaspidean from the Philippines
    From: Erwin Koehler, May 3, 2002
  29. Another deepwater slug from Hawaii
    From: Dr. Christopher Kelley, May 2, 2002
  30. Aeolid from the Philippines (2)
    From: Erwin Koehler, April 30, 2002
  31. Elysiid from the Red Sea
    From: Erwin Koehler, March 12, 2002
  32. Elysia from Queensland
    From: Alison Smith, February 24, 2002
  33. Chromodorid 'conference' in Indonesia
    From: Stuart Hutchison, December 22, 2001
  34. Unknown sponge feeder
    From: Jim Cruise, October 2, 2001
  35. Flabellina from the Philippines
    From: Erwin Koehler, August 10, 2001
  36. Mystery nudibranch
    From: Melanie , May 14, 2001
  37. Yellow aeolid on hydroid
    From: Tony Wu, April 12, 2001
  38. Need help ID this nudibranch/slug
    From: Planoi, January 1, 2001
  39. Need help ID an sea slug/nudibranch?
    From: Win, December 30, 2000
  40. Elysia or Thuridilla from Coral Sea
    From: Des Paroz, October 22, 2000
  41. What is this?
    From: Mary Jane Adams, June 17, 2000
  42. Aeolid from Papua New Guinea
    From: Ray Izumi, May 12, 2000

Show factsheet and all related messages