Colour forms in Polycera capensis from Sth Africa

January 22, 2007
From: Wilhelm van Zyl

Dear Bill,

Dear Bill,

Polycera capensis is one of the more common species of nudibranch we find on dives around the Cape peninsula and I see one on just about every dive. I have noticed a lot of colour variation within the species, and have included some of them for your website. The first is the typical colour form and probably also the most abundant (Upper photo). The black longitudinal lines on the body vary in thickness, and in some animals there is almost no line. Some animals also have a yellow line extending from the papillae on the back the papillae on the head (Lower photo ).

Recently I saw another animal with orange lines instead of the usual black lines. I went back to my older pictures and noticed the animals that I considered to be white also had a very faint orange line. I have sent them in a separate message [#19278 ] .

Locality: Cape Peninsula, 10 - 20m, South Africa, Atlantic Ocean, 2005 - 2006, Wrecks. Length: 5cm. Photographer: Wilhelm van Zyl.

Regards
Wilhelm

diving@cyberdale.co.za

Van Zyl, F.W., 2007 (Jan 22) Colour forms in Polycera capensis from Sth Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19276

Dear Wilhelm,
It's nice to get some photos of this species from where it was first collected and named some 180 years ago. Interestingly the colour form with the thin yellow line down each side of the body, in your lower photo, is the colour form I have on the species Fact Sheet - a an animal from here in Sydney. As in South Africa, it is not a common colour form here either. As I discuss in your other message, I suspect the animals there with orange lines are a different species.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Jan 22). Comment on Colour forms in Polycera capensis from Sth Africa by Wilhelm van Zyl. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19276

Factsheet

Polycera capensis

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