Cuthona scintillans from New Zealand

July 2, 1999
From: Ian Skipworth

Hi Bill

Attached is a snap of a nudibranch that's new to me. Unfortunately, the photo is not a wonderful one but I hope it is sufficient to allow identification.

The image was taken by Shaun Cartwright a few weeks ago at the Poor Knights Islands, [northeastern New Zealand]. I have cropped the slug form the original taken with 1:1 extension tube and estimate the overall length at 10mm.

I look forward to your comments.

Regards,
Ian

Auckland, New Zealand
Skip's Underwater Image Gallery

ianskip@voyager.co.nz

Skipworth, I., 1999 (Jul 2) Cuthona scintillans from New Zealand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1009

Dear Ian,
I am pretty sure this is Cuthona scintillans, which was described as having a green digestive gland and pale yellowish patches on the skin. Although there are not many records of these little aeolids from New Zealand, species of Cuthona are often quite common. However, because they grow to maturity very quickly , sometimes you can find many but often there are none, or they are too small to readily see. Unless you diligently search for them on a regular basis they can easily be missed.
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Jul 2). Comment on Cuthona scintillans from New Zealand by Ian Skipworth. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1009

Factsheet

Cuthona scintillans

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