Re: Flabellina nobilis

June 30, 2001
From: Bruce Wight

Dear Bill,
What is the difference between Flabellina nobilis and Cuthona divae found on the West coast?
Bruce Wight

bwproductions@earthlink.net

Wight, B., 2001 (Jun 30) Re: Flabellina nobilis. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4700

Dear Bruce,
As I am an expert on neither species please feel free to disagree with me if I say something silly.

I guess the smooth rhinophores in C. divae is one character and the continuation of the ceratal rows in front of the rhinophores are another point of difference. Another would be the rounded anterior foot corners in species of Cuthona which in species of Flabellina are usually tentacular. In colour, the rhinophores and oral tentacles of Cuthona divae are the same colour as the body with no white pigmentation on the skin, while in F. nobilis there is a row of white spots on both. F. nobilis grows much larger than C. divae. On top of these external features there are many anatomical differences, not visible in the field of course, which separates them.

Not withstanding all that, you are right, they certainly look similar in photographs.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Jun 30). Comment on Re: Flabellina nobilis by Bruce Wight. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4700

Factsheet

Flabellina nobilis

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