Cratena capensis
Barnard, 1927

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Glaucidae

DISTRIBUTION

Common in Cape Province, South Africa. Apparently endemic to the region (Gosliner, 1987).

PHOTO

Haerlem Wreck, Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Indian Ocean. 18 m. 06-Aug-2005, 10 mm. wreck superstructure. Photo: Charles Rowe

The body is translucent white and the long oral tentacles and rhinophores have varing amounts of opaque white speckling which can in some cases covers all but the basal region. The specimen illustrated has orange on the rhinophores which has not previously been recorded. Specimens usually have some brown speckling on the oral tentacles, rhinophores, and dorsal midline, but this can be absent (MacNae, 1954). There are a pair of elongate orange patches on the head, one in front of each rhinophore. The ceratal wall is transparent, sometimes with white speckling. The ceratal tip is white, and the ceratal digeative gland ranges in colour from red to dark brown depending on which of the variety of hydroids it is reported to feed on, it has been eating. This species is distinctive in having short blunt anterior foot corners. The precardiac cerata are arranged in an arch and the postcadiac cerata are in single rows. It grows to at least 30 mm in length.

  • Barnard, K. H. (1927) South African nudibranch mollusca, with descriptions of new species, and a note on some specimens from Tristan d'Acunha. Annals of the South African Museum, 25: 171-215, Pls19, 20.
  • Gosliner, T. M. (1987) Nudibranchs of Southern Africa, a guide to the Opisthobranchs of southern Africa. Monterey, Sea Challengers.  1-136.
  • Macnae, W. (1954) On some eolidacean nudibranchiate molluscs from South Africa. Annals of the Natal Museum, 13: 1-50, Pls1-2.
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2005 (September 20) Cratena capensis Barnard, 1927. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/cratcape

Related messages


Cratena capensis from Algoa Bay, South Africa

September 20, 2005
From: Charles Rowe

Hi Bill

This beast, which I think is Cratena capensis, was photographed on a return visit to the Haerlem Wreck in Algoa Bay. It is very difficult to find because it is so tiny. Luckily I know where to look!

Locality: Haerlem Wreck, Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Indian Ocean. 18 m. 06-Aug-2005, 10 mm. wreck superstructure. Photo: Charles Rowe

Charles Rowe

bumff@mweb.co.za

Rowe, C., 2005 (Sep 20) Cratena capensis from Algoa Bay, South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14786

Thanks Charles,
I agree with your identification. It has the two orange patched on the head, and the blunt rounded anterior foot corners which are characteristic of the species. It does however differ in the orange pigmentation on the rhinophores, but I assume this is another variable in its colour pattern. So this is another new one for the Forum
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Sep 20). Comment on Cratena capensis from Algoa Bay, South Africa by Charles Rowe. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14786