Nembrotha cf. guttata changing colors in Raja Ampat

February 12, 2007
From: Mike Krampf


I thought you would find these pictures interesting. There were quite a few of these nudi's on the dive and it certainly appeared that they were in the process of changing colors from red-spotted to green-spotted. As you can see from the first photo there were a few that were completed red-spotted and there were a few, like in the upper photo, where it appeared that it was in the process of changing to green-spotted.

At the end of the dive I found the different colored ones mating.

Locality: Dive Site - Dunia Kecil off Wajil island, 45 ft, Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Banda Sea, 30 December 2006, Reef. Length: 3-4 cm. Photographer: Mike Krampf.

Thanks as always for your time and input.
Mike

mtkrampf@yahoo.com

Krampf, Mike, 2007 (Feb 12) Nembrotha cf. guttata changing colors in Raja Ampat. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19244

Dear Mike,

Thanks for these photos. It is interesting that 'typical' N. guttata has this changing colour of the tubercles from red to green as well. I have always thought that this species was different from N. guttata - the tubercles seem smaller and there are always patches of white on the inside edge of each rhinophore and along the mantle edge of many individuals. However in your photo alongside, of the two mating, the green spotted animal seems to lack the white markings, and so looks as though it is N. guttata. If this is so, then what I have been separating off as Nembrotha cf. guttata may just be a juvenile form of N. guttata. You may have recorded an interesting observation here - certainly something anyone revising this group should keep in mind in the future.

In the photo alongside, the two mating animals are sitting on a large ascidian. Species of Nembrotha feed on ascidians so it is possible this is there food.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Feb 12). Comment on Nembrotha cf. guttata changing colors in Raja Ampat by Mike Krampf. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19244

Factsheet

Nembrotha cf. guttata

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