Another Spurilla chromosoma from Sydney

March 16, 2006
From: Donald Miles


This beautiful nudibranch was found in a shallow rock pool on Long Reef Rock Platform. We were wondering which species it is and what it feeds on, and any other fascinating features that this particular type might have. It was photographed in a plastic specimen container and in a rock pool, so I have included a lateral and a dorsal view of it.

Locality: Long Reef Rock Platform, Fishermans Beach, Collaroy, less than 10 cm deep, New South Wales, Eastern Australia, Pacific Ocean, 24th February 2006, Intertidal, shallow rock pool. Length: 75 mm. Photographer: Donald Miles.

Thanks,
Don

auseco@optusnet.com.au

Miles, D.W., 2006 (Mar 16) Another Spurilla chromosoma from Sydney. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15975

Dear Don,
As you will see from Maggie Mitchell's message [#15736] which I am also posting today, and a number of earlier messages [#15668; #15643], this is an interesting find. It is an animal we are identifying at present as Spurilla chromosoma, and has been reported at various places in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, suggesting it is a 'tramp' species able to travel about the world probably as a result of shipping. This is the 3rd record from Sydney in 2 months, and the 4th from New South Wales in the same period. Since it has not been reported from eastern Australia before, this suggests it is a recent arrival which is apparently flourishing.

As to what it eats. It is a member of a family of aeolids, the Aeolidiidae, which almost all feed on sea anemones. I suspect this one will do the same.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Mar 16). Comment on Another Spurilla chromosoma from Sydney by Donald Miles. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15975

Related messages

  1. Another Spurilla chromosoma from Sydney
    From: Maggie Mitchell, March 16, 2006
  2. Re: Spurilla chromosoma? from Bare Island, Sydney
    From: Jason Hoare, January 31, 2006
  3. Re: Spurilla chromosoma? from Bare Island, Sydney
    From: Jason Hoare, January 28, 2006
  4. Re: Spurilla chromosoma? from Bare Island, Sydney
    From: Jason Hoare, January 27, 2006
  5. Re: Spurilla chromosoma? from Bare Island, Sydney
    From: Denis Riek, January 27, 2006
  6. Spurilla chromosoma? from Bare Island, Sydney
    From: Jason Hoare, January 26, 2006
  7. Spurilla chromosoma from Ecuador
    From: Soledad Luna, August 10, 2003
  8. Re Mystery aeolid from California
    From: Orso Angulo, October 22, 2002
  9. Mystery aeolid from California
    From: Sean Kearney, October 16, 2002
  10. Re: Spurilla neapolitana or S. chromosoma
    From: Jun Imamoto, April 18, 2002
  11. Spurilla neapolitana or S. chromosoma
    From: Jun Imamoto, April 17, 2002
  12. Egg ribbon of S. chromosoma ? from Japan.
    From: Jun Imamoto, April 17, 2002
  13. Spurilla chromosoma from Japan
    From: Bill Rudman, September 23, 2001
  14. Spurilla chromosoma from Hong Kong
    From: Leslie Chan, July 22, 2001
  15. Spurilla chromosoma from California
    From: Bruce Wight, February 7, 2001
  16. Spurilla chromosoma egg mass
    From: Bruce Wight, February 7, 2001
  17. Spurilla chromosoma not S. neapolitana from Japan
    From: Y. Hirano, March 19, 2000
  18. Re: Re: Spurilla neapolitana? from Japan
    From: Satoru Hori, March 17, 2000
  19. Re: Spurilla neapolitana? from Japan
    From: Satoru Hori, March 16, 2000
  20. Spurilla? from Japan
    From: Satoru Hori, March 14, 2000

Show factsheet and all related messages