New sacoglossan for New Zealand

August 22, 2005
From: Ian Skipworth

Hi Bill
I've no idea what the attached photo is of. I've not seen anything like it before but it is very small so could easily be overlooked. As always, your comments would be much appreciated.

Locality: Poor Knights Islands, northeastern New Zealand. Depth: 12 m. Length: 5 mm. 20 August 2005. Rocky reef. Photographer: Ian Skipworth

Regards
Ian

ian@ianskipworth.com

Skipworth, I., 2005 (Aug 22) New sacoglossan for New Zealand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14616

Dear Ian,
This is indeed a nice find. It isStiliger aureomarginatus, a sacoglossan sea slug which feeds on species of Codium. I am pretty sure the green background in your photo is a species of Codium. To my knowledge it has not been reported from New Zealand before. The species was described from Western Australia  and we have records on the Forum from Hong Kong, Japan, East Timor and Sydney. I guess it is one of those tropical species  which seems to find the waters of the Poor Knights Ids quite acceptable. As you say, it is hard to say of this is a recent arrival or just another little animal which has been previously overlooked. Congratulations on seeing it!

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Aug 22). Comment on New sacoglossan for New Zealand by Ian Skipworth. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14616

Factsheet

Stiliger aureomarginatus

Related messages

  1. Stiliger aureomarginatus - new record for Heron Island
    From: Julie Marshall, November 28, 2007
  2. Re: Stiliger aureomarginatus found sthn Queensland
    From: Gary Cobb, November 13, 2007
  3. Re: Stiliger aureomarginatus found sthn Queensland
    From: Gary Cobb, November 5, 2007
  4. Stiliger aureomarginatus found sthn Queensland [2]
    From: Gary Cobb, October 4, 2007
  5. Stiliger aureomarginatus found sthn Queensland [1]
    From: Gary Cobb, October 4, 2007
  6. Stiliger aureomarginatus from Sydney, NSW
    From: R. Fea & J. Coombs, May 9, 2005
  7. Stiliger aureomarginatus from East Timor
    From: Nick Hobgood, September 7, 2003
  8. Stiliger aureomarginatus from eastern Australia
    From: Bill Rudman, May 18, 2002
  9. Stiliger aureomarginatus from Japan.
    From: Nishina Masayoshi, May 17, 2002

Show factsheet and all related messages