Cadlina willani
Miller, 1980

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Chromodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Throughout New Zealand to about 20m, but extremely rare intertidally.

PHOTO

Mercury Islands, New Zealand (NE of North Island) in about 6 m. This specimen is about 20 mm long. PHOTO: Ian Skipworth.

This is one of many chromodorids which are white with a yellow border. It is characterised by the yellow median line. Most of the known species of Cadlina are found in the northern hemisphere. C. willani is the only species known from New Zealand. Two species have been reported from southern Australia. One of these, Cadlina nigrobranchiata Rudman, 1985 from southwestern Australia, is also white with a yellow border but it had black gills and rhinophores. The second species, Cadlina tasmanica, from Tasmania is translucent white with scattered milky yellow spots over the mantle.

References:
• Miller, M.C. (1980). Cadlina willani, a new dorid nudibranch (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia) from New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 7: 165-171.
• Rudman, W.B. (1985) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West
Pacific: Chromodoris aureomarginata, C. verrieri and C. fidelis colour groups. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 83:241-299.
• Rudman, W.B. (1990) The Chromodorididae Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: further species of Glossodoris, Thorunna and the Chromodoris aureomarginata colour group. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 100(3):
263-326.

(Visit Skip's Underwater Image Gallery for further of Ian Skipworth's photos of New Zealand Underwater Life.)

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1998 (January 20) Cadlina willani Miller, 1980. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/cadlwill

Related messages


Cadlina willani from nthn New Zealand

December 30, 2006
From: Samuel Kemp

Could you identify this specimen for me? I photographed it off Great Barrier Island, off the east coast of New Zealand (N.Island)in about 15m of water. Unfortunately I have not managed to include the rhinophores, and the gills have been retracted.

Locality: Great Barrier Island, 15 meters, East coast North Island, New Zealand, Pacific Ocean, 16th December 2006. Length: 3-4 cm. Photographer: Samuel Kemp.

Thanks,
Samuel.

samuel_kemp@hotmail.com

Kemp, S., 2006 (Dec 30) Cadlina willani from nthn New Zealand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19069

Dear Samuel,

This is Cadlina willani. Fortunately its very distinctive colour pattern meant I didn't need to see the head end to identify it

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Dec 30). Comment on Cadlina willani from nthn New Zealand by Samuel Kemp. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19069

Cadlina willani from northeastern New Zealand

March 1, 2003
From: Mark Burnett

Greetings Bill,
I notice there is only one picture of Cadlina willani on the Forum so thought I'd send a few more. Interestingly, I had these pictures for a few years before I was able to ID them from Ian Skipworth's picture on the Forum.
The two pictures on the right were taken at Blue Maomao Arch (Poor Knights Is) at a depth of 12 metres in September '98. The lower left one was taken at Jones Beach in Tawharanui National Park (near Leigh) at a depth of 10 metres. All were around 20mm.

Regards
Mark Burnett

mburnett@actrix.gen.nz

Thanks Mark,
There are very few photos of this striking species publicly available, so these are very welcome
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Cadlina willani from New Zealand

January 20, 1999
From: Ian Skipworth

Hi Bill

Good to see the Janolus mokohinau image posted on your site.

The attached image of Cadlina willani was taken by me at the Mercury Islands, New Zealand (NE of North Island) in about 6 m of water. This specimen is about 20 mm long.

Regards,

Ian Skipworth
Auckland, New Zealand
Skip's Underwater Image Gallery

ianskip@voyager.co.nz

Skipworth, I., 1999 (Jan 20) Cadlina willani from New Zealand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/504

Thanks Ian,
I look forward to some more New Zealand species.
Bill Rudman.