Tritonia flemingi from Poor Knights Islands, N.Z.

June 13, 2006
From: Ian Skipworth


Hi Bill

Here's Tritonia flemingi which I found yesterday at the Poor Knights Islands in nthn New Zealand.

Again, I've not seen one of these before so was pleased to add it to my collection of slug photos.

Although hard to see I'm pretty sure I saw it munch on a tiny octocoral polyp while I was watching it.

Locality: Poor Knights Islands, 14m, New Zealand, Pacific Ocean, 10 June 2006, Rocky reef. Length: 15mm. Photographer: Ian Skipworth.

Cheers
Ian

ianskip@xtra.co.nz

Skipworth, I.R., 2006 (Jun 13) Tritonia flemingi from Poor Knights Islands, N.Z.. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16856

Dear Ian,
Thanks for this excellent find. As I have mentioned before, there are few records of this apparently small species. Apart from Powell's original description in 1937, and Gareth Jones's  earlier message [#5828] on the Forum, the only other definite record I can find is a mention by Richard Willan (Willan & Morton, 1984) that he had found specimens in Wellington. Your photo gives us an excellent idea of the colour pattern and shape of the living animal. Looking at you photo I can see a small octocoral colony which I have ringed in the close-up alongside. As you suspect it is most probably its food.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Jun 13). Comment on Tritonia flemingi from Poor Knights Islands, N.Z. by Ian Skipworth. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16856

Factsheet

Tritonia flemingi

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