Re: Janolus fuscus from Puget Sound

October 4, 2005
From: Jack Connick


Dear Bill,
Concerning my message #14856:
I am basing my identity as Janolus fuscus from "Pacific Coast Nudibranchs" by Behrens, pg 82. It looks exactly as pictured.

Here's another shot [Upper photo] from: Little Patos Island, Boundary Pass, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA. Depth: 20 feet.Length: 2". 09 Sept 2005. Shallow ground kelp. Photographer: Jack Connick

The photos of Hermissenda you mentioned are from higher current areas of British Columbia. Where I shot the original photo [message #14142] is a deep silty area of Elliot Bay in Puget Sound, right at Seattle. It was unusual, I've never seen this nudi there before, nor had I seen it seem to eat the jellyfish, they (I saw two) were definitely interested in the jellies, it wasn't by chance they were on them.

And I still disagree that this is a Hermissenda. You can see the head clearly enough to see that there aren't the tentacles that Hermissenda has, nor the shape and pattern of the cerata. That it has a white line at it's base seems like it might be from something it ate, or perhaps an un-described sub-species of Janolus (my vote!).

I'm no biologist, but I do study these guys in the wild. I've a macro lens now and will be sure to get the head of the next one better. The lower photo is a bit better version of the first shot I submitted [message #14142 ].

Enjoy the site! If you like I'll continue to submit shots of nudis from this area that you are missing.

Jack

JackConnick@Yahoo.com

Connick, J., 2005 (Oct 4) Re: Janolus fuscus from Puget Sound. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14896

Thanks Jack,
From this distance away all I can do is try and be an impartial judge. I tend to agree with the experts. Apart from the colour pattern, species of Janolus don't eat cnidarians and Hermissenda has certainly been known to. I'm afraid I can't see the head clearly in either photo - and in the lower photo the cerata seemed to be arranged in transverese rows which is characteristic of Hermissenda but not Janolus. I guess the lesson is that we can't answer all life's mysteries from a photo. I  certainly hope you will continue to make contributions to the Forum.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Oct 4). Comment on Re: Janolus fuscus from Puget Sound by Jack Connick. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14896

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