Aplysia californica? from Peru

June 3, 2010
From: Leonidas Mulluhara


Dr. Bill,
Found this species in northern Peru. I´m not sure if its Aplysia brasiliana or Aplysia juliana.

I doubt that is Aplysia juliana because it has an ink gland which produces the characteristic reddish purple ink. Also this species eats Ulva.

Locality: beach, 1 and 7 m depth, Lambayeque, Peru, Pacifico ocean, 7 July 2008, rocky intertidal. Length: 194 mm. Photographer: Leonidas Mulluhara.

Your opinion will be very helpful.
Thank you

Leonidas Mulluhara

leo.keynote@gmail.com

Mulluhara, L.K, 2010 (Jun 3) Aplysia californica? from Peru. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/23627

Dear Leonidas,

Yes I think we can eliminate A. juliana. As there are some opisthobranchs which occur on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America I guess there is a possibility that your animal is part of the A. brasiliana - A. fasciata complex, but another possibility is that it is Aplysia californica. The furthest south I can find a record for is Costa Rica [Field Guide to the Sea Slugs of the tropical eastern Pacific], but that is not to say it doesn't occur further south.

Certainly the translucent whitish border along the edhe of the foot and the parapodia are reminscent of A. californica. It would be valuable to get some input from anyone with a more intimate knowledge of the species.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2010 (Jun 3). Comment on Aplysia californica? from Peru by Leonidas Mulluhara. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/23627

Factsheet

Aplysia californica

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