Flabellina pedata and others? from Turkey (2)

October 27, 2001
From: Baki Yokes

Hi Bill,
Here are some more Flabellina photos.

UPPER RIGHT: Canakkale, Turkey. July 1999.
Divesite: Saros Bay, Depth: 15m, Size: 35mm
LOWER LEFT: Gökova, Turkey. August 1999.
Divesite: Yediadalar, Depth: 10m, Size: 30mm
LOWER RIGHT: Istanbul, Turkey. 7 October, 2001.
Divesite: Yassiada, Depth: 28m, Size: 30mm

Best regards
Baki

bakiyokes@turk.net

Yokes, B., 2001 (Oct 27) Flabellina pedata and others? from Turkey (2). [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5566

Dear Baki,
I think these are all Flabellina ischitana which is easy to confuse with Flabellina affinis unless the internal anatomy is examined. Both have lamellate rhinophores and the ceratal clusters have common bases. One of the main external differences is that in F. ischitana the ceratal wall is transparent allowing the digestive gland to be seen. In F. affinis the ceratal wall is dusted with purple, obscuring the digestive gland. Using that criteria, this would be F. ischitana. In the upper right photo I have included an inset to show the whitish gonad tissue in the base of the ceratal clusters.

Two other characters which Hirano & Thompson (1990) noted are that in F. ischitana there are between 12-19 rhinophoral lamellae, while in F. affinis there are 22-28. They also distinguish the two species on the number of branches to the main basal trunk of the first ceratal cluster - 3 branches in F. ischitana and 4 in F. affinis. From your photos I think your animals match F. ischitana.

I would be grateful for any comments from people familiar with these two species. [See also message 1 and message 3 with photos of similarly coloured animals]
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Oct 27). Comment on Flabellina pedata and others? from Turkey (2) by Baki Yokes. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5566

Factsheet

Flabellina ischitana

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