Costasiella sp. 3 from Bali

March 4, 2005
From: Ian Dunsmore

Dear Bill,
Here is an unusual one and I see there are not too many postings of the species. This looks to be identical with Stiliger aureomarginatus however the tips of the cerata are most definitely a pinkish/purple colour and not the distinctive bright orange/yellow as with your other listings. Is this the same species and is the colour variant due to feeding habits on the host algae? It's so small it was a tough one to photograph - I was getting dizzy and going crossed eyed trying to focus and get him in the viewfinder, all whilst fighting a swell.

Locality: Puri Jati - Bali, Indonesia, Indian Ocean. Depth: 5 metres. Length: 5mm. 07 February 2005. Volcanic sand slope - shore dive. Photographer: Ian Dunsmore

Many thanks,
Ian.

scubajock@moylan-diving.com

Dunsmore, I, 2005 (Mar 4) Costasiella sp. 3 from Bali. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13269

Dear Ian,
You've done a good job firstly finding this animal, and secondly photographing it. It is indeed a sacoglossan, but although it looks very like a species of Stiliger, it is a species of Costasiella, an unnamed species I am calling Costasiella sp. 3 on the Forum. One sure way to identify a species of Costasiella is to look at its eyes, which are very close together - almost touching each other. Another clue in this case is the strange green algae it is on. Quite a few species of Costasiella specialise in feeding on species of the green alga Avrainvillea, which has a broad fan-like 'leaf' and a solid cylindrical stalk, anchoring it in the sediment.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Mar 4). Comment on Costasiella sp. 3 from Bali by Ian Dunsmore. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13269

Factsheet

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