Aplysia sagamiana at the Poor Knights, New Zealand

February 18, 2006
From: Ann Gilmore

Hi,
This seahare was found in approx 19 metres of water at the Middle Arch divesite of the Poor Knights marine reserve in New Zealand. It is approximately 100 mm long, and was on the substrate seen in the photo (not moved). The colour is as it was. I saw only the one.

This is a sea hare which I haven't been able to find in my ID books, and which is different from the varieties I and my diving companions have previously seen at the Poor Knights.

This photo was taken 30th January 2006. Water temperature that day was approximately 19 degrees celcius.

Locality: Middle Arch Poor Knights Islands, 19 metres, New Zealand, Pacific ocean, 30 January 2006, rocky, with heavy encrustation of algal etc growth. Length: 100 mm. Photographer: Ann Gilmore.

Your help in identifying it would be most appreciated.
Ann Gilmore

ann@nzl.biolabgroup.com

Ann Gilmore, 2006 (Feb 18) Aplysia sagamiana at the Poor Knights, New Zealand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15867

Dear Ann,
This is an interesting find. I have only seen this once before - at Port Stephens in eastern Australia. I have identfiied as Aplysia sagamiana, a species known only from Japan except for your specimen and mine from Port Stephens. The white spots on the parapodia with a dark brown ring seem to be characteristic.

I wondered before if it was a strange colour form of a more common species, but I can't think what that could be. What ever it is, so few records of it from anywhere suggest it is quite a rare species or else we aren't looking in the right place. As far as I know, this is a new record from New Zealand.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Feb 18). Comment on Aplysia sagamiana at the Poor Knights, New Zealand by Ann Gilmore. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15867

Factsheet

Aplysia sagamiana

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