Rostanga sp. from Turkey

May 27, 2002
From: Baki Yokes

Dear Bill,
These photos were taken in Kemer, Turkey by Levent Konuk. The spiculate structure of the mantle suggests a Rostanga sp., but which one? As far as I know there is only Rostanga rubra in the Mediterranean. But the animals seen in Michel Barrabés' photos look more flat than this one. And also the presence of the characteristic white or yellowish patch that lies between the rhinophores in Rostanga rubra, is not so clear in this specimen. What is your opinion?

Photographic data:
Date: 15/05/2002
Place: Kemer, Turkey
Divesite: Tünel
Depths: 15m
Size: 6-7cm
Photos: Levent Konuk [leventkonuk@turk.net]

Best wishes
Baki

bakiyokes@turk.net

Yokes, B., 2002 (May 27) Rostanga sp. from Turkey. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7029

Dear Baki,
Thanks for this nice photo showing egg-laying. From my reading of the literature there are only two species at present accepted from the Mediterranean, R. rubra and Rostanga anthelia. R. anthelia sems to be known only from very small, possibly juvenile specimens, so it is not clear wheher the described colour pattern with many large white patches a round the edge is a juvenile feature or will also be found in adults.

R. rubra is ceratinly a possibility. If you look carefully between the rhinophores in your photos there is a trace of white. The shape of the egg ribbon, and the size of the eggs is similar to that described for R. rubra but the colour is not. Its eggs have been described as white or pale pink but never bright orange. As to the flattened appearance of animals in Michel Barrabés' photos. It is quite usual in Rostanga to find animals becoming very flattened when they are on their food sponge but quite raised when crawling on other substrates.

The only sure way to find out what you have would be to look at the anatomy - I still have difficulty identifying specimens of species I am reasonably familiar with. I look forward to comments from peoplemore familiar with European species of this genus. I will temporarily put your message on the R. rubra page more more administrative convenience than beacause I am convinced it is that species
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (May 27). Comment on Rostanga sp. from Turkey by Baki Yokes. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7029

Factsheet

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