Re: Opisthobranch from the Black Sea.

October 30, 2002
From: Kathe R. Jensen

Note: Ercolania funerea Costa 1867 is a junior synonym of Ercolania viridis Costa, 1866. All messages have been moved to that species page. See discussion - 7 June 2003.

Dear Alexander & Bill,
I am pretty sure this animal from the Black Sea is Ercolania funerea, which occurs in the Mediterranean and also, in the Caribbean. It could also be Ercolania nigra (described as Stiliger niger by Lemche), which has so far only been recorded from Danish waters. It feeds on Chaetomorpha and grows rather big. Also its egg masses look very much like the one on your picture. I think there is a good possibility that the 2 species are synonymous, and that the differences between them are caused by eating different food. Ercolania funerea feeds on Cladophora, Cladophoropsis and Chaetomorpha. However, the huge amounts of Chaetomorpha linum that are often found in Danish waters do not occur in the Mediterranean or in the Caribbean, so E. funerea usually does not grow so big or quite so dark.
Best wishes,
Kathe

jensen@ait.ac.th

Jensen, K.R., 2002 (Oct 30) Re: Opisthobranch from the Black Sea.. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8315

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