Eubranchus sanjuanensis
Roller, 1972
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Eubranchidae
DISTRIBUTION
Known previously only from San Juan Ids, Washington. Reported here from British Columbia, Canada.
PHOTO
Two colour varieties: Hussar Point, 20 meters, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific, 26 August 2007, Rock Wall. Length: 6-8 mm. Photographer: Clinton Bauder.
Body color is translucent white. The cerata are relatively swollen and there are two known colour forms, one with a reddish digestive gland clearly visible through the transparent ceratal wall, and another with a pale brownish white digestive gland. The tip of each ceras is opaque white. Found on the hydroid, Sertularia. To 6 mm. San Juan Island, Washington.
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Behrens, D.W. (1980) Pacific Coast Nudibranchs. A guide to the opisthobranchs of the northeastern Pacific. Sea Challengers. Los Osos, California.
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Roller, R.A. (1972). Three new species of eolid nudibranchs from the west coast of North America. The Veliger, 14(4); 416-423
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (June 11) Eubranchus sanjuanensis Roller, 1972. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/eubrsanj
Related messages
Eubranchus sanjuanensis from Pujet Sound
November 12, 2007
From: Richard L Zade
Thought this photo of Eubranchus sanjuanensis might interest you. It was shot at Port Townsend WA. in Jan of 2007 in about 45 ft. of water. They were actively laying at this time
Locality: Point Hudson, Port Townsend , 45 Ft., Washington state USA, Puget Sound, Pacific Ocean, Jan 2007, rock jetty. Length: 5 mm. Photographer: Richard Zade.
Richard Zade
rzade@hotmail.com
Hi Rich,
Well, from extremely rare, to common. I guess you just have to know where to look. Your multiple sightings of this species have been a real contribution. Thanks for the eggs also. Classic Eubranchus coil.
Best wishes,
Dave Behrens
Eubranchus sanjuanensis from British Columbia
September 12, 2007
From: Clinton Bauder
Hi Bill,
Just got home from a week of diving in the Port Hardy area of British Columbia near the north end of Vancouver Island. Visibility was pretty awful for the first two days of the trip which was too bad for me as I was hoping to make use of my new wide angle lens. On the other hand it was probably a good thing for the forum as I switched to the 105 mm macro and went looking for nudibranchs.
This is Eubranchus sanjuanensis in both the pale orange form seen in earlier posts and the bright red version seen in the Behrens and Hermosillo book.
Locality: Hussar Point, 20 meters, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific, 26 August 2007, Rock Wall. Length: 6-8 mm. Photographer: Clinton Bauder.
Clinton Bauder
gecko1@apple.com
Thanks Clinton,
Wow - another sighting of a species that has not been since since it was described. This is definitely Eubranchus sanjuanensis. Your specimens match Rick Zades from Port Townsend, Washington perfectly. Yours also show the variation between specimens.
Thanks for sharing,
Dave Behrens
Eubranchus sanjuanensis from British Columbia
October 24, 2003
From: Paul Sim
Hi Bill,
Do you think this fellow is Eubranchus sanjuanensis?
Date = Oct 4, 2003
Location = April Point Wall, Quandra Island, British Columbia, Canada
Terrain = wall
Temp = 50 degrees farenheit
Depth = 60 feet
Equipment = Nikonos-V, 2:1, Fuji reala
Paul Sim
plsim@shaw.ca
Sim, P., 2003 (Oct 24) Eubranchus sanjuanensis from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11276Dear Paul,
With the proviso that I am not an expert on your fauna, it ertainly looks as though your animal is correctly identified
Best wishes
Bill Rudman
Re: Eubranchus from British Columbia
October 24, 2003
From: Marli Wakeling
Hi Bill,
Paul's Eubranchus appears to be Eubranchus sanjuanensis, which in Dave Behren's book is much redder in colouration. In a previous message, I sent in a photo which appears to be the same animal.
Cheers,
Marli Wakeling
scubamarli@excite.com
Wakeling, M., 2003 (Oct 24) Re: Eubranchus from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11288Thanks Marli,
Paul has also sent in another photo in which the digestive gland is more pink, which I assume is also this species
Bill Rudman
Re: Eubranchus from British Columbia
October 24, 2003
From: Dave Behrens
Hi Paul
I'm sure the animal in Paul's message is Eubranchus sanjuanensis Roller, 1972.
Dave Behrens
dave@seachallengers.com
Behrens, D., 2003 (Oct 24) Re: Eubranchus from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11297Thanks Dave,
Bill Rudman
Eubranchus from British Columbia
October 20, 2003
From: Paul Sim
Hi Bill,
Here is another nudibranch found on our latest trip to Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada which so far has not been obvious to id by the local people in the know. Any help by you or others viewing it would be appreciated.
Location = Browning Wall, Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada
Terrain = wall
Depth = 50 feet
Temp = 50 degrees farenheit
Equip = Nikonos-V, 1:1, Fuji Reala
Sept 1-3 2003
Paul Sim
plsim@shaw.ca
Dear Paul,
I guess this is a species of Eubranchus, but I can't go any further. Perhaps someone will recognise it
Best wishes
Bill Rudman
Eubranchus sanjuanensis? from British Columbia
June 19, 2002
From: Marli Wakeling
Hi Bill,
Here are several animals which are very common at this time of year. They are found on hydroids with egg masses. I used to think the egg masses were the nudibranch's, but in one view there is a snail, which may be the 'parent'. Would it be possible that these nudibranchs eat snail eggs, or is it just a coincidence they are found together?
Dive Site: Eastbourne Wall, Keats Island, British Columbia
Depth: 40 feet
Length: 5mm
Date: April 21,2002
Photograph: Marli Wakeling
Marli
scubamarli@excite.com
Thanks Marli,
Perhaps someone can confirm the identity for us. Concerning the eggs. The certainly look like nudibranch eggs. From their size I would suspect that they are the eggs of this aeolid. There is one aeolid genus, Favorinus, which specialises on eating other opisthobranch eggs. The digestive gland in the cerata of Favorinus usually match the colour of the eggs they are eating. If by chance your aeolid was eating the white eggs, I would expect the digestive gland in the cerata to be white also.
Cheers,
Bill Rudman
Eubranchus sanjuanensis from British Columbia
June 12, 2000
From: Marli Wakeling
Dear Bill,
This tiny creature is usually known for its red cerata, and locale of the San Juan Islands in the State of Washington. Here, however, it is a light peach in colouration, and very common in the spring. Averaging about 4 to 6 mm. in length, it can be found eating and laying eggs on hydroids.
Regards,
Marli Wakeling
scubamarli@excite.com
Wakeling, M., 2000 (Jun 12) Eubranchus sanjuanensis from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2558Dear Marli,
Thanks for the photo. It is certainly a more subtle colour than the bright red digestive gland of the animal illustrated in Dave Behrens' Pacific Coast Nudibranchs.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.
