Flabellina hamanni
Gosliner, 1994
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Flabellinidae
DISTRIBUTION
Known only from the Caribbean [Turks & Caicos Ids, and the Bahamas]
PHOTO
Bahamas, Atlantic. Depth: 20 feet. Length: 0.5 inches. May 2002. on coral reef. Photographer: Keri Wilk
The body is translucent, ranging in colour from pink to orange. The oral tentacles, rhinophores and tentacular foot corners are the same colour as the body with an opaque milky yellow tip, and a reddish purple band beneath the yellow. The cerata are similarly coloured, with a milky yellow cap. below the yellow cap the ceratal walls are dusted with opaque white almost to the base, where the white gradually disappears and the ceratal wall become translucent colourless. A little below the yellow cap, is a thin band of reddish purple. It is much thinner more defined than the broader diffuse bands on the head tentacles. The rhinophores have an elongate rounded tip and then a large club consisting of many posteriorly facing papillae.
This species grows to at least 32 mm in length
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Gosliner, T. M. (1994) New records of Flabellinidae (Opisthobranchia: Aeolidacea) from the tropical Americas, with descriptions of two new species. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 48: 171-183.
Rudman, W.B., 2006 (February 9) Flabellina hamanni Gosliner, 1994. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/flabhama
Related messages
Flabellina hamanni from Aruba, Caribbean Sea
December 6, 2006
From: Florent Charpin
Hi Bill,
I found this nudibranch in Aruba, about 50 feet deep in the middle of a small sandy patch in the reef and I'm been unable to identify it. It was about one inch long.
Locality: Near the Jane Sea wreck, 50 feet, Aruba, Caribbean Sea, 23 November 2005. Length: 1 inch. Photographer: Florent Charpin.
Thanks,
Florent
florent@charpin.net
Charpin, F., 2006 (Dec 6) Flabellina hamanni from Aruba, Caribbean Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18939
Dear Florent,
This is Flabellina hamanni. There is a similarly coloured species, Flabellina marcusorum, but it is more transparent and the purple band on the cerata seems to be much more diffuse.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Turks & Caicos Nudibranch - Flabellina hamanni
September 2, 2006
From: Lucy Bullard
Not a great photo I know, but wondered if you might be able to help with an ID on the attached photo. The nudibranch was found in about 30ft of water and measured approx 3/4 inch. The photo was taken without a flash but the light was pretty good.
Locality: Grace Bay, 30ft, Turks & Caicos Islands, Atlantic, 29 August 2006, Spur & Groove reef with mini wall. Length: 3/4 inch. Photographer: Lucy Bullard
Any suggestions appreciated - I did find a single one of the purple-ring nudibranchs here a couple of years ago in the same area, but this doesn't look like anything in the book.
Lucy Bullard
lucybullard@hotmail.com
Bullard, L., 2006 (Sep 2) Turks & Caicos Nudibranch - Flabellina hamanni. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17713Dear Lucy,
As you say, the photo is not great. The only detail I can be sure of is the thin purplish ring on each ceras with a bluish colour below and a yellowish above. My guess is that this is Flabellina hamanni. We don't know much about that species as yet, but it has been found at the Turks & Caicos Islands
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Flabellina hamanni Fact Sheet
February 9, 2006
From: Bill Rudman
To complement the recent messages on Flabellina hamanni here is a Fact Sheet on the species. For some reason the relevant paper had escaped my system
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Gosliner, T. M. (1994) New records of Flabellinidae (Opisthobranchia: Aeolidacea) from the tropical Americas, with descriptions of two new species. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 48: 171-183.
Bill Rudman
Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Feb 9) Flabellina hamanni Fact Sheet. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15803Re: Flabellina marcusorum from Bahamas?
February 7, 2006
From: Terry Gosliner
Concerning message #15640:
Hi Bill,
I just had a look at this photo from the Bahamas and am certain that this is F. hamanni Gosliner, 1994, described originally from the Bahamas.
Terry
tgosliner@calacademy.org
Gosliner, T., 2006 (Feb 7) Re: Flabellina marcusorum from Bahamas?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15753Thanks Terry,
I must get a copy of this paper, it seems to have escaped me.
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Gosliner, T. M. (1994) New records of Flabellinidae (Opisthobranchia: Aeolidacea) from the tropical Americas, with descriptions of two new species. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 48: 171-183.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Flabellina marcusorum from Bahamas?
January 25, 2006
From: Les Wilk
Hi Bill;
Is this a Flabellina marcusorum?
Locality: Bahamas, Atlantic. Depth: 20 feet. Length: 0.5 inches. May 2002
coral reef. Photographer: Keri Wilk
Les Wilk.
wilk@reefnet.ca
Wilk, L., 2006 (Jan 25) Flabellina marcusorum from Bahamas?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15640 Dear Les,
The shape and colour fo the rhinophores are right and the general colour of the cerata and body seem to fit. However I have not seen a specimen in which the subterminal purple band on the cerata is such a thin discrete line. In most cases it is a broad band with diffuse edges. Perhaps someone with a personal knowledge of this fauna can help us.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
