Facelina stearnsi
Cockerell, 1901
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Glaucidae
DISTRIBUTION
California
PHOTO
From the wreck of the El Ray off Mission Bay, San Diego, California. Photos: Bruce Wight
The body is translucent clear. The cerata have a broad orange to yellow terminal band, the cerata some times being tipped with white. The upper half of the lamellate rhinophores are also yellowish orange, sometimes with a white tip. Both the oral tentacles and the tentacular anterior foot corners have and orange midregion and a white tip. The oral tentacles also have a white or cream line which runs along the dorsal side and then across the head to the base of the rhnophores. Sometimes parts of this line, on the head, have red, orange or yellow pigmentation. Grows to about 25mm.
Reference:
• Cockerell, T.D.A. (1901) Three new nudibranchs from California. Journal of the Malacological Society of London, 8: 85-87.
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (July 26) Facelina stearnsi Cockerell, 1901. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/facestea
Related messages
Austraeolis stearnsi from California
July 27, 2006
From: Kevin Lee
Hi Doc... just wanted to share another, for me, first, with the group... Austraeolis stearnsi, I believe...
Locality: La Jolla Shores Canyon, Main Wall, approx 60 fsw, California, USA, Eastern Pacific, 21 July 2006, sandy, rubbly clay wall. Length: 1.5 inch. Photographer: Kevin Lee.
All best,
K:-)
diverkevin@gmail.com
Lee, K., 2006 (Jul 27) Austraeolis stearnsi from California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17215
Thanks Kevin,
If I look very carefully I think I can see a trace of a whitish/orange line running from the oral tentacles back to the first cerata. The line seems to be characteristic of this species.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Facelina stearnsi or Austraeolis stearnsi
January 19, 2006
From: Jim Lyle
Dr. Rudman,
I've been in withdrawal for the past three weeks and am eagerly anticipating the return of my daily slug fix!
FYI: In Dave Behrens' newest book on Eastern Pacific Nudibranchs, he lists Facelina stearnsi as Austraeolis stearnsi (Cockerell, 1901). The fact sheet for this branch should be updated with the new (old?) name.
Best,
Jim Lyle
Dear Jim,
Glad to know that your mornings will be calm again - I hope you aren't one of those people who kicks the dog when things go wrong! Concerning Facelina stearnsi. I had noticed Austraeolis starting to creep in but I could find no published reference and after checking with Dave Behrens I find the relevant paper - from the Perth conference is still 'in press'. So at present there is no published evidence to support the genus change. I guess I should keep the status quo until I get a chance to read - and agree with - the arguments presented by the authors.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Facelina stearnsi from southern California
September 23, 2003
From: Jim Lyle
Roger Carlson spotted this nudibranch that we have tentatively identified as Facelina stearnsi based on the description in Behrens (2nd Edition). The branch was found on the bow of the wreck of the Avalon, off Palos Verdes, Southern California. The depth was 70 feet and the temperature was in the low fifies. This was the only individual that we found. We did not see any egg masses.
Jim Lyle
jlyle@csudh.edu
Thanks Jim,
The orange lines on the head, the wrinkles on the rhinophores, and the colour and shape of the cerata, certainly indicate that this is Facelina stearnsi.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Facelina stearnsi from California
July 29, 2002
From: Bruce Wight
Hi Doc,
Here is another California species that is absent from the Forum, Facelina stearnsi. These animals were photographed on the wreck of the El Ray off Mission Bay in San Diego.
Take care,
Bruce Wight
bwproductions@earthlink.net
Thanks Bruce,
Bill Rudman
