Thecacera sp. 2

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Polyceridae
Subfamily: Polycerinae

PHOTO

Molas reef, NE Sulawesi, Indonesia. 3 July, 2002, Depth: 16 metres, Length: approx 15mm. Photo: Jim Anderson

Compare with Thecacera pacifica.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (July 29) Thecacera sp. 2 [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/thecsp2

Related messages


Re: Thecacera sp. 2?

June 11, 2008
From: Teresa Zuberbühler


Concerning message #7648:

Dear Bill
I send you here some more pictures of Thecacera sp. 2.
One specimen was really tiny, about 7 mm, probably a juvenile! The large one you see eating a bryozoan.

I have also seen other Thecacera species such as Thecacera picta eating bryozoans (I have sent you a picture separately [#21602 ]). I guess this is their staple food.

Locality: Komodo (small nudi) and Sulawesi, 15-20 m, Indonesia, Pacific, July 2005, sand and rubble with little coral cover. Length: 7 mm (small) and 2 cm. Photographer: Teresa (Zubi) Zuberbühler.

Teresa (Zubi) Zuberbühler

webmaster@starfish.ch

Zuberbühler, T., 2008 (Jun 11) Re: Thecacera sp. 2?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21601

Dear Zubi,

Thanks for these photos. Apart from the feeding record they show the strange ribbed 'plate' at the base of the rhinophore stalk very well. As I have mentioned before it looks a though it could be a sensory structure

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Jun 11). Comment on Re: Thecacera sp. 2? by Teresa Zuberbühler. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21601

Thecacera sp. 2

April 30, 2008
From: Kenneth Yong

Dear Bill,

It's question time again: Is this your Thecacera sp. 2? Will it soon receive a specific name?

Locality: Sipadan Island, Coral Garden divesite, 10 m, Sabah, Malaysia, Celebes Sea, 18 July 2007, On sandy bottom. Length: 5 cm. Photographer: Kenneth Yong.

Thanks a million.

Cordially,
Kenneth

kyong67@tiscali.it

Yong, K., 2008 (Apr 30) Thecacera sp. 2. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20616

Dear Kenneth,

Thanks for this record. I don't think anyone is working on this family at present. These days naming new species just for the sake of it is not given a high priority amongst most researchers. We usually try and describe new species in the context of a broader revision of a genus or family. In that way the anatomy of various species can be compared and evolutionary relationships considered.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Apr 30). Comment on Thecacera sp. 2 by Kenneth Yong. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20616

Re: Thecacera sp. 2 from Borneo

February 8, 2008
From: Asther Lau

Concerning message #11981:

Hello Bill,

A late Happy New Year 2008 to you. Attached is a photo of what I believe is a Thecacera sp. 2 which I saw back in Mabul Island.

Locality: Mabul Island, About 16 metres, Sabah, Malaysia, Celebes Sea, 21 July 2007, Sandy bottom with scattered rocks. Length: About 2cm. Photographer: Asther Lau.

Hope this is useful to you.

Regards,
Asther

asther@astherlau.com

Lau, A, 2008 (Feb 8) Re: Thecacera sp. 2 from Borneo. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21347

Dear Asther,
Thanks for another record of this species.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Feb 8). Comment on Re: Thecacera sp. 2 from Borneo by Asther Lau. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21347

Re: Thecacera sp. 2 from NW Australia

March 6, 2007
From: Aaron Fink

Concerning message #18687:

Attached is another image of this nudibranch, seen near Misol, in the Raja Ampat of Indonesia.

Locality: Misol Besar Island, 40 ft, Indonesia, Banda, 24 October 2006, coral reef. Length: 1.5 - 2 cm. Photographer: Aaron Fink.

Aaron Fink

afink01@emory.edu

Fink, A.S., 2007 (Mar 6) Re: Thecacera sp. 2 from NW Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19442

Thanks Aaron,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Mar 6). Comment on Re: Thecacera sp. 2 from NW Australia by Aaron Fink. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19442

Thecacera sp. 2? from NW Australia

November 30, 2006
From: Mary Gudgeon

I'm trying to find an ID for a nudibranch I found on the weekend. It looks like Thecacera sp. 2, it is entirely yellow but has no black markings at all.

Locality: Exmouth Gulf, 5 metres, Western Australia, Indian Ocean, 26 November 2006, Sandy bottom. Length: 6 mm. Photographer: Mary Gudgeon.

Mary Gudgeon.

mary@gudgeon.id.au

Gudgeon, M.L., 2006 (Nov 30) Thecacera sp. 2? from NW Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18687

Dear Mary,
I would tend to agree that it is Thecacera sp. 2 without any black spots. If you look at other photos of black-spotted members of this species you will see there is a very large ribbed structure at the base of each rhinophore. I suspect it is of sensory function. Your animal has also got this unusual structure which makes me think its the same species.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Nov 30). Comment on Thecacera sp. 2? from NW Australia by Mary Gudgeon. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18687

Thecacera sp. 2 from Borneo

January 22, 2004
From: Mary Jane Adams

Hi Bill,
I photographed this nudibranch at Mabul Island off the eastern coast of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo on November 29, 2003. I believe it is Thecacera sp. 2.

The dive site, "Old Lobster Cave," is a vertical wall. It was 17 mm long and crawling over rubble at 15 meters. The
dive guides told me they see it here occasionally. This is the best "branch" site in the area.

Best regards,
Mary Jane

divepng@yahoo.com

Adams, M.J., 2004 (Jan 22) Thecacera sp. 2 from Borneo. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11981

Thanks Mary Jane
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2004 (Jan 22). Comment on Thecacera sp. 2 from Borneo by Mary Jane Adams. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11981

Thecacera sp. 2 from Izu peninsula, Japan.

May 14, 2003
From: Haruo Kinoshita

Hello,
Here is a photo of Thecacera sp. 2 to add to the Forum.

Date: Apr-12-2003
Location: Osezaki, Izu peninsula, Japan
Depth: 23m
TL: about 30mm
Photo: Haruo Kinoshita

Regards,
Haruo Kinoshita

kinoh@vesta.ocn.ne.jp

Kinoshita, H., 2003 (May 14) Thecacera sp. 2 from Izu peninsula, Japan.. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9726

Thanks Haruo,
Bill Rudman

Thecacera sp. 2 from North Sulawesi

October 7, 2002
From: Marli Wakeling

Hi Bill,
Here is another Thecacera sp. 2 from Lembeh Strait. He looks upside down, but this is how the animal was positioned on the sand bottom.

Location: Pantai Parigi, Lembeh Strait, North Suluwesi, Indonesia.
Date: July, 2002
Depth: 35 feet
Length: 2 cm.
Photograph: Marli Wakeling

Regards,
Marli

scubamarli@excite.com

Wakeling, M., 2002 (Oct 7) Thecacera sp. 2 from North Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8095

Thanks Marli,
Bil Rudman

Re: Thecacera sp.2 from Indonesia

August 16, 2002
From: Jim Anderson

Dear Bill,
Attached is another view of the previous animal.

Size: approx 15mm
Location: Molas reef, NE Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Date: 3 July, 2002, approx 2.45pm
Depth: 16metres

Regards,
Jim A

JAnder4454@aol.com

Anderson, J., 2002 (Aug 16) Re: Thecacera sp.2 from Indonesia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7768

Thanks Jim,
Bill Rudman

Thecacera sp?

July 31, 2002
From: Jim Anderson

Dear Dr. Rudman,
The attached shows an animal seen recently in Sulawesi, Indonesia. It was on a sand bottom among small coral outcrops and was spotted by our guide Erwin right under our fins at the start of the dive as we hit the bottom. It appears similar to Debelius' Thecacera sp. (page 190 in my edition).

Details
Size: approx 15mm
Location: Molas reef, NE Sulawesi.
Date: 3 July, 2002, approx 2.45pm
Depth: 16metres
Water Temp: 29 deg C

Please advise.
Kind regards,
Jim A

jander4454@aol.com

Anderson, J., 2002 (Jul 31) Thecacera sp?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7648

Thanks Jim,
It certainly looks like a species of Thecacera and its orange and black colour pattern has similarities to that of Thecacera pacifica. That species, amongst other things, does not have black spots on the body and does have a black line along the outside edge each gill. Until we get some more information on its colour variation I guess we should just call it Thecacera sp. 2 as it unlike any of the few other known species in colour pattern.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Jul 31). Comment on Thecacera sp? by Jim Anderson. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7648