An 'elastic' aeolid from South Africa

November 20, 1999
From: Valda Fraser

Dear Bill
This one has amazing elastic properties. One photo shows it relaxed and going about its own business. The other shows it disturbed. I hope you will be able to identify it. It is common in our area.
Locality: South Coast KwaZulu/Natal, SOUTH AFRICA. Scottburgh, Rocky reef, 24m, November 1999. Size: 780mm

Regards
Valda Fraser

Fraser, V., 1999 (Nov 20) An 'elastic' aeolid from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1548

Dear Valda,
This is Pteraeolidia iathina which as well as being 'elastic' is also 'solar powered', keeping single-celled zooxanthellae alive in its body where they photosynthesise and provide sugars for the nudibranch. There is some variation in shape and colour throughout the the Indo-West Pacific but I am unable to find any anatomical differences to separate them into more than one species.

Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Nov 20). Comment on An 'elastic' aeolid from South Africa by Valda Fraser. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1548

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