Melibe? from Japan

July 29, 2001
From: John Perry

I'm an assistant instructor at a local dive shop in Fukuoka, Japan. Last Sunday I went diving and saw a nudibranch that I had never seen before and I was hoping that I could get some assistance in finding out what it was.

It looked like a cross between a Melibe leonina and an Aplysia parvula. It was laterally compressed and its head seemed to have a hood like Melibe leonina but it was kelp green in colour. It was about 10 cm long and when lifted up it wriggled and danced like a Spanish Dancer.

Sorry I can't be a little more specific but any help you could provide would be great.
Thanks,
John Perry

jperry@fat.coara.or.jp

Perry, J., 2001 (Jul 29) Melibe? from Japan. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4907

Dear John,
I could well be a species of Melibe as they are not uncommon in the western Pacific and can swim by lateral body waves. Have a look at the pages on Melibe engeli, Melibe mirifica and Melibe viridis. It is most likely to be M. viridis. The names of the large Indo-west Pacific species of Melibe, and in fact the number of species, is still in the melting pot, so you will find various names used in different books.

On the off-chance you have a swimming Aplysia have a look at the Sea Hare Page for a list of pages to look at.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Jul 29). Comment on Melibe? from Japan by John Perry. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4907

Factsheet

Melibe viridis

Related messages

  1. Melibe viridis from South Africa
    From: Valda Fraser, November 20, 2009
  2. Re: Melibe viridis in East Timor
    From: Brian Francisco, November 20, 2009
  3. Melibe viridis from Singapore
    From: Toh Chay Hoon, October 31, 2008
  4. Is this a Melibe?
    From: Ron Yeo, October 27, 2008
  5. Melibe viridis from Lembeh Straits
    From: Mark Atwell, October 24, 2008
  6. Melibe sp. from Thailand
    From: Lawrence Neal, October 24, 2008
  7. Re: Melibe viridis laying eggs
    From: Teresa Zuberbühler, June 11, 2008
  8. Re: Melibe viridis - edge of the oral hood
    From: Teresa Zuberbühler, June 6, 2008
  9. Melibe viridis laying eggs
    From: Teresa Zuberbühler, June 5, 2008
  10. Sea slug with paddles?
    From: Annabelle Sandes, November 30, 2007
  11. Melibe mirifica from Sulawesi
    From: Ken Tucker, June 18, 2007
  12. Melibe viridis from Davao Gulf
    From: Carlos R. Munda, May 25, 2007
  13. Sweet-smelling Melibe from South Korea
    From: Grace N. Palmos, November 7, 2006
  14. Melibe viridis in East Timor
    From: Brian Francisco, November 2, 2006
  15. Melibe viridis from Buton Island, Banda Sea
    From: Linda Ianniello, December 3, 2005
  16. Melibe from the Gulf of Kutch, India
    From: Arpit Deomurari, July 1, 2005
  17. Melibe from the Mediterranean
    From: Katerina Tzouvali & Dimitris Pettas, March 3, 2005
  18. Melibe mirifica from Indoneisa
    From: Patricia Danna, March 19, 2004
  19. Melibe viridis ? from the Philippines
    From: Erwin Koehler, December 18, 2003
  20. Melibe mirifica from Papua New Guinea
    From: Mary Jane Adams, September 21, 2000
  21. A Melibe? from Papua New Guinea
    From: Alan M. Grant, January 7, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages