Damaged Glossodoris rufomarginata from Bunaken

July 6, 2007
From: Nigel Thomas

Hi,
One of our guests recently took this photo from one of his dives around Bunaken island, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. We cannot find it in any of the fish books, any idea what it is?

Locality: Bunaken Island, 16m, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Indo-pacific, 15 March 2007, sand slope. Length: 2 inches. Photographer: Lars.

Thanks,
Nigel

diving@twofishdivers.com

Thomas, C., 2007 (Jul 6) Damaged Glossodoris rufomarginata from Bunaken. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19741

Dear Nigel,
This is Glossodoris rufomarginata. It is quite variable in colour, which is one reason you may not be able identify it from books, but I suspect the other reason is that it appears to be quite damaged. If you look at other photos of it on the Forum you will see that the mantle skirt is normally continuous right around the body while in your animal there are bits missing.

I suspect this is damage from a nibbling fish. Species of this family, the Chromodorididae, store distasteful chemicals in sacs around the mantle edge to deter fish attack. In this case it looks as though a few nibbles around the edge deterred the attacker.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Jul 6). Comment on Damaged Glossodoris rufomarginata from Bunaken by Nigel Thomas. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19741

Factsheet

Glossodoris rufomarginata

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