Cerberilla sp. 1.

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Aeolidiidae

PHOTO

South Coast of Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa, near Port Shepstone. Depth: 38m. February 1999. Size: 50mm. PHOTO: Valda Fraser.

See Valda Fraser's message below.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (November 21) Cerberilla sp. 1. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/cerbsp1

Related messages


Godiva quadricolor? from Sth Africa

November 23, 1999
From: Valda Fraser

Dear Bill,
Any ideas on this yellow/blue/white aeolid?

Locality: South Coast of Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa, near Port Shepstone. Low profile scattered rocky reef. Depth: 38m. February 1999. Size: 50mm

Thanks,
Valda Fraser.

iti04937@mweb.co.za

Fraser, V., 1999 (Nov 23) Godiva quadricolor? from Sth Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1527

Dear Valda,
This is another mystery I'm afraid. It has a very similarly coloured cerata to a colour form of the janolid Bonisa nakaza that Gosliner (1981) illustrated from South Africa, but as you can see in the photo of Janolus mokohinau, janolids have cerata all around the front of the head and do not have the large prominent oral tentacles we can see in your photo.

It is clearly an aeolid, and from its size, arrangement of cerata, and relatively small rhinophores placed close together, it possibly belongs in the family Aeolidiidae. There are also a number of species of the aeolid family Cuthonidae with blue and yellow cerata, but none seem to fit your photo.

It also has similarities to Godiva quadricolor which also has large laterally pointing oral tentacles and relatively small rhinophores sitting close together in the midline. However, unless that species has a very wide colour variation, it seems an unlikely identification.

Hopefully Terry Gosliner will come to our aid.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Nov 23). Comment on Godiva quadricolor? from Sth Africa by Valda Fraser. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1527

Re: Godiva quadricolor? from South Africa

November 23, 1999
From: Terry Gosliner

Dear Bill,
I had a look at Valda's latest photo, the possible Godiva quadricolor. It is definitely a Cerberilla. This looks like a new species to me. It certainly has not been recorded from southern Africa previously. I have been trying to find the time to comment on many of Valda's amazing animals and will hopefully be able to do so soon.
All the best,
Terry

tgosline@calacademy.org

Gosliner, T., 1999 (Nov 23) Re: Godiva quadricolor? from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1587

Dear Terry,
I fully agree that it looks like a Cerberilla, which is why I suggested the family Aeolidiidae.

Valda, species of Cerberilla are usually found in sandy habitats where they live in the sand and are seldom seen. They have an unusually broad foot, presumably an adaptation to their sand-dwelling lifestyle. I will try and post a couple of pages on species of Cerberilla in the next few days.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Nov 23). Comment on Re: Godiva quadricolor? from South Africa by Terry Gosliner. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1587