Hermaea variopicta from the French Mediterranean

March 18, 2005
From: Sylvie Grall

Thank you very much for this website, very useful for Id on my photos.
I have doubts on this one. I think the genus is Aplysiopsis but I couldn't find the species. Could it be A. enteromorphae? The slug seemed to be able to inflate its ceratas when disturbed. The water was cold : 7°C. There were a lot of Hermaea bifida around ready to lay eggs.

Locality: under oyster lines, within Enteromorpha. Etang de Thau - France,
Mediterranean. Depth: 8 m. Length: 30 mm. 5 th March 2005. Mud covered with Enteromorpha and other algae. Photographer: Sylvie Grall

In Thau we find many cosmopolitan species. This is the first time I see this one. I couldn't find any other specimen on the dive.
Can you help?
Thank you very much.
Sylvie Grall

SGRALL@compuserve.com

Grall, S., 2005 (Mar 18) Hermaea variopicta from the French Mediterranean. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13348

Dear Sylvie,
This is Hermaea variopicta. Some of these aeolid-looking sacoglossans are difficult to tell apart and so your suggestion that this might be a species of Aplysiopsis was not far off the mark. Hermaea variopicta is one of those rare sacoglossans which are brightly coloured. Most sacoglossans are remarkably well camouflaged to match the greens and browns of the algae they feed on.

It is nice to get a photo of an adult animal. It has made me prepare a proper Fact Sheet for this species.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Mar 18). Comment on Hermaea variopicta from the French Mediterranean by Sylvie Grall. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13348

Factsheet

Hermaea variopicta

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