Rostanga australis from South Australia

February 8, 2002
From: Bill Rudman

Here is a photo of Rostanga australis from Edithburgh Jetty, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia;

3m, two specimens (5, 30 mm long alive), 20 February 1985, AM C145182. PHOTO: Bill Rudman.

Specimens from South Australia and Victoria were found feeding on colonies of a species of the arenaceous poecilosclerid sponge of the genus Psammopemma (Family Desmacididae). In South Australia the sponge had a greyish-purple exterior, as in this photo, while in Victoria the sponge was pale orange. From where the animal has been feeding we can see that the South Australian sponge is also pinkish orange, apart from the thin external dark grey layer. Then South Australian sponge is quite different in shape, forming large goblet-shaped bodies, while the Victorian sponge forms large lumpy 'shapeless' masses.

Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Feb 8) Rostanga australis from South Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6178

Factsheet

Rostanga australis

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