Asteronotus from the Solomon Ids

September 12, 2001
From: Bruce Potter


Dear Bill,
I found this huge specimen last weekend. The dive site was "Wreck of the Anne" in the Russell Islands Group of the Solomon Islands.

It was on a night dive, and the critter was at about 8 meters on coral and rubble. It was about 40 cm long. The largest nudibranch I have ever seen. I am guessing it is some kind of Asteronotus.

Regards
Bruce Potter.

bruce.potter@adventist.org.sb

Potter, B., 2001 (Sep 12) Asteronotus from the Solomon Ids. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5254

Thanks Bruce,
The general belief is that there is only one species of Asteronotus. In all the records I know of of very large animals, the colour is usually a shade of brown, suggesting perhaps that they lose the colour pattern of light and dark regions as they grow older and larger. See Erwin Koehler's earlier message for another photo of a uniform brown animal. See the 'Largest, smallest etc Page' for more messages on large sea slugs. 40 cm is a good size.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Sep 12). Comment on Asteronotus from the Solomon Ids by Bruce Potter. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5254

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