Cuthona destinyae from the tropical eastern Pacific

August 2, 2007
From: Ali Hermosillo

Dear Bill,
Because we can read all the morphological (both external and internal) characteristics of a given species, I thought that I would give you the story behind this species instead.

"Destiny " is the name of the boat of dear friend Steve Drogin, who has been most supportive of my work. During the winter of 2004 we dove in murky cold water from Isla Isabel, Nayarit to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero.

While in Zihuatanejo, Dave Behrens and I jumped in the water for a regular dive and he saw there were egg masses on the hydroids that had grown on the hull of Destiny. We ended up finding this undescribed Cuthona and we thought the perfect name for it was Cuthona destinyae.

It is known from Iztapa-Zihuatanejo, Pacific coast of Mexico to the Galapagos Islands.

Locality: Zihuatanejo, 0 feet, Guerrero, Mexico, tropical eastern Pacific, 19 March 2004, On encrusting hydroids on floating objects, boats, pier. Length: 8 mm. Photographer: Ali Hermosillo.

Cheers!
Ali

gueri25@hotmail.com

Hermosillo, A, 2007 (Aug 2) Cuthona destinyae from the tropical eastern Pacific. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20363

Thanks Ali,

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Aug 2). Comment on Cuthona destinyae from the tropical eastern Pacific by Ali Hermosillo. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20363

Factsheet

Cuthona destinyae