Umbraculum from deep water off Australia

March 25, 1999
From: Bill Rudman

Yesterday we received a frozen Umbraculum umbraculum from 203m from off the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef. It was sent by Alan Limpus, a well known shell-collector, who thought it rather unusual. The photos I have taken of the freshly dead animal (Shell length = 7cm) show its translucent white colour.

I know of no published records of such deep water specimens of Umbraculum umbraculum, an animal normally considered to live intertidally or in scuba depths. In the Australian Museum, we have records of dredged specimens from off southern New South Wales at depths ranging from 30 to 274m, suggesting it is widely distributed across the continental shelf. The deeper water specimens are all very pale coloured. Perhaps the colour of the animals is dependant on pigments obtained from their food sponges? Intertidal Umbraculum range from bright orange to yellow and dull brown. Perhaps the deeper water sponges it is eating are often pale or colourless?

The full locality details are: 25 miles East of the Swains Reefs, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. 203m Trawled by FV Nelissa Jay, March 1999. Presented by Alan Limpus. (Photos: Bill Rudman)

Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Mar 25). Comment on Umbraculum from deep water off Australia by Bill Rudman. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/724

Factsheet

Umbraculum umbraculum

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