Re: Syphonota geographica from Turkey

December 13, 2002
From: Erwin Koehler

Dear Bill,
Regarding the message from Turkey. This species is labelled in my books as Phyllaplysia lafonti. Attached is a shot from Italy by Gianni Neto [gianeto@libero.it]. No other data were recorded.
Cheers Erwin

Erwin@medslugs.de

Dear Erwin,
Gianni Neto's photo is also Syphonota geographica, which certainly suggests it is spreading throughout the Mediterranean. It would be nice to have some locality and date information.

I have checked up on Phyllaplysia lafonti (Fischer, 1870) and it seems to be a good Phyllaplysia. The most obvious difference between it and Syphonota is the much flatter body and the lack of parapodia, except as small flaps over the very small mantle cavity. I have included a scan of Fischer's original drawing [1872 - Plate 15, figs 1-3] to illustrate the difference. Compare this with my photo showing the opened parapodia on the Syphonota geographica Fact Sheet. There are some good colour photos of what seems to be correctly identified Phyllaplysia lafonti in an article by Terreni (1997) in La Conchiglia.

• Fischer, P (1870) Observations sur les Aplysies. Ann. de Sci. Nat (5). Zool & Pal, 13: 3
• Fischer, P (1872) Description d'une espece nouvelle du genre Phyllaplysia. Journal de Conchyliologie, 20: 295-301.
• Terreni, G. (1997) Rinvenimento di un esemplare di Phyllaplysia lafonti (P. Fischer, 1870) nelle acque litorali di Livorno (Gastropoda, Opisthobranchia, Aplysiomorpha). La Conchiglia, Roma, 29 (282): 45-47.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Dec 13). Comment on Re: Syphonota geographica from Turkey by Erwin Koehler. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8652

Factsheet

Syphonota geographica

Related messages

  1. Seahare from Lembeh, Indonesia
    From: Zeineb Alhaidari, November 9, 2009
  2. Syphonota geographica from South Africa
    From: Valda Fraser, June 2, 2008
  3. Syphonata geographica eggs
    From: Leanne & David Atkinson, February 25, 2008
  4. Syphonata geographica mating
    From: Leanne & David Atkinson, February 25, 2008
  5. Syphonata geographica feeding on Halophila
    From: Leanne & David Atkinson, November 27, 2007
  6. Re: Seahare from Singapore
    From: Ron Yeo, March 29, 2007
  7. Syphonota geographica from Bali
    From: Teresa (Zubi) Zuberbühler, February 19, 2007
  8. Syphonota geographica from northern Bali
    From: Danny van Belle, January 31, 2007
  9. Syphonota geographica from Dominica
    From: Linda Ianniello, July 23, 2004
  10. Syphonota geographica from Changi, Singapore
    From: Ria Tan, February 5, 2003
  11. Re: Syphonota geographica from Italy
    From: Erwin Koehler, December 18, 2002
  12. Syphonota geographica from Turkey
    From: Ferda Buyukbaykal , December 12, 2002
  13. Syphonota from Sydney
    From: Akos Lumnitzer, June 1, 2000
  14. Is Syphonota found in Australia or NZ?
    From: P.M. Johnson, May 26, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages