Philine in California

August 4, 1998
From: Terry Gosliner

Dear Bill,
After returning from holiday, I was intrigued with all that has transpired with respect to Philine spp. on the California coast. Given that there is a possiblity that I could have had a mixture of material, I went back to the original vouchers from San Francisco Bay and Bodega Harbor to re-examine them. They are all identical to the description I attributed to Philine auriformis, with all the attributes of that species including the sculptured shell, radula, gizzard plates and complex penis. That being the case, it appears that there are likely three introduced species inhabiting our bays, or at least Bodega Harbor. I am still quite certain that what I originally collected is indeed P. auriformis and that still appears to be the case. I didn't think that the material I had originally collected had such a different penial morphology. Baring the possibility of a penial transplant (this being San Francisco, stranger things have happened) this is getting more curious every day. Michelle and I are going over the material to look at the material she collected to see what is going on. We will send you the latest soon.

Terry Gosliner

tgosliner@casnotes1.calacademy.org

Gosliner, T., 1998 (Aug 4) Philine in California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/186

Glad to hear from you Terry. From what you say, it certainly looks like you have 3 introduced species of Philine. I think it is much more sensible if I direct enquiries about Californian Philine to you. When I innocently asked Michelle to send me a couple of specimens I didn't realise I would be opening Pandora's Box! Please use the Sea Slug Forum to keep us all informed of any discoveries. I have had a look specimens of a Philine from Hong Kong, which Morton & Chiu identified as Philine orientalis. It looks identical to Michelle's Species 1 from Bodega Bay. I'll post pictures of its shell and gizzard plates as soon as I get a chance to photograph it. If you have a photo of the shell and gizzard plates of the third species (Philine auriformis), which I could post on the site, or could send me a specimen to dissect and photograph it would be a useful comparison ... Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 1998 (Aug 4). Comment on Philine in California by Terry Gosliner. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/186

Factsheet

Philine spp.

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