Stiliger ornata, Placida dendritica? from Taiwan

March 11, 2000
From: Jui-Sheng Chang


Dear Dr. Rudman:
I am Jui-Sheng Chang, a student in National Taiwan University. I am studying the Codium blooming on coral reef in southern Taiwan. I have found two kinds of sea slugs which are living with Codium edule. But I do not know what the species names are.

One of both them looks like Stiliger ornata, but the rings under the ceras top are blue. Is there any differences between them? The length of both unknown species is only about 0.5 cm. They can feed with Codium edule and lay eggs on the Codium branches.

Thanks you so much for looking my questions. Best Wishes

Your Sincerely
Jui-Sheng Chang

d5241003@ms.cc.ntu.edu.tw

Chang, J-S., 2000 (Mar 11) Stiliger ornata, Placida dendritica? from Taiwan. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2067

Dear Jui-Sheng Chang,
The upper photo is indeed Siliger ornata, the photos in the Forum are of a very dark individual.

The lower photo is of a species I am tentatively calling Placida dendritica but as you will see if you read the messages on that page, the general feeling is that there are a complex of similar looking species worldwide which will need sorting out. The ramifying green pattern you can see are ducts of the digestive gland containing green chloroplasts from Codium which it probably keeps alive in its body. See the page on Solar powered slugs for information on how these animals utilise the chloroplasts.

Any other photos of their egg masses would be very welcome. Good luck with your research, and if you have anymore questions please let us know.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Mar 11). Comment on Stiliger ornata, Placida dendritica? from Taiwan by Jui-Sheng Chang. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2067

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