Thorunna furtiva
Bergh, 1878
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Chromodorididae
DISTRIBUTION
Found throughout the tropical western Pacific.
PHOTO
UPPER: Koumac, New Caledonia, October 1993.
LOWER: Two photos to show typical rhythmic waving of gills. Heron Is, Capricorn Group, Queensland, August 1979, 17mm long alive. PHOTOS: Bill Rudman.
Similar in shape and colour to Thorunna africana but in T. furtiva the orange or brownish-yellow colour is found around the mantle border and on the gills and rhinophores.
References:
• Rudman, W.B. (1984) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: a review of the genera. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 81: 115-273.
• Rudman, W.B. (1985) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: Chromodoris aureomarginata, C. verrieri and C. fidelis colour groups. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 83: 241-299.
Rudman, W.B., 1998 (November 11) Thorunna furtiva Bergh, 1878. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/thorfurt
Related messages
Re: Thorunna furtiva from nthn Mariana Islands
March 9, 2010
From: Yuji Fujie
Concerning message #20749:
Dear Dr.Bill,
Here we have two pictures of Thorunna furtiva with sponge. There is always a sponge in their destination.
Can you specify the kind of the sponge by this image?
Locality: Grotto, 10m, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, Pacific Ocean, 27 Feb 2010, It was along the wall. Length: 10mm. Photographer: Yuji Fujie.
Best regards,
Yuji
scuba.element@gmail.com
Yuji Fujie, 2010 (Mar 9) Re: Thorunna furtiva from nthn Mariana Islands. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/23320
Dear Yuji,
These photos show the sponge somewhat more clearly than in your earlier message. As I suggested in that message, I am pretty sure this is a species of Dysidea. The few records we have on feeding in other species of Thorunna suggest they feed on dysideids. Your record - the first we have on feeding in T. furtiva - supports this idea.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Mating Thorunna furtiva from nthn Mariana Islands
September 19, 2007
From: Yuji Fujie
Concerning message #20429:
Dear Bill,
Thank you for your message. Here is a higher resolution image. Can you confirm the sponge with this image ?
Locality: Grotto, 15m, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, Pacific Ocean, 12 July 2007, on the rock at inside pool. Length: 10 mm. Photographer: Yuji Fujie.
Best regards,
Yuji
dswith@isletwind.com
Dear Yuji,
Thanks for higher resolution image. Although the sponge looks as though it could be a species of Dysidea, unfortunately I can't be 100% sure. As I am sure you are aware, one of the problems photographing small animals is that you lose any depth of focus, so, as in this photo, the background is often out of focus.
Thanks again for your help. Perhaps if you find a group of Thorunna again you might like to take a photo focussing on the sponge. It would be good to get a positive identification of the food of this species
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Mating Thorunna furtiva from nthn Mariana Islands
September 7, 2007
From: Yuji Fujie
Dear Dr.Bill,
They did not stay together first. I think, the left animal was feeding.
Locality: Grotto, 15 m, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, Pacific Ocean, 12 July 2007, on the rock at inside pool. Length: 10mm. Photographer: Yuji Fujie.
We can often see this situation from April to July at Grotto.
Best regards,
Yuji
dswith@isletwind.com
Yuji Fujie, 2007 (Sep 7) Mating Thorunna furtiva from nthn Mariana Islands. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20429
Dear Yuji,
These animals certainly look like they could be feeding. If you could send me a higher resolution scan it would be good to see if I can see any sign of sponges
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thorunna furtiva from Malaysia
September 1, 2007
From: Lawrence D. Seigle
I am told this might not have been seen before. Do you know what exactly this one is and have you seen it before?
Locality: Palau Labas -East Peninsula, Malaysia, 50 feet approximately, South China Sea, 7 August 2007, 200 yds off small rock island. Length: 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Photographer: Lawrence D. Seigle.
Lawrence D. Seigle
coralsea5@citlink.net
Seigle, L.D., 2007 (Sep 1) Thorunna furtiva from Malaysia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20549Dear Lawrence,
This is Thorunna furtiva.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thorunna furtiva from the Mariana Islands
December 5, 2005
From: Takao Urasawa
Dear Bill,
I think this is Thorunna horologia. However I think that it differs a little in the rhinophores.
Locality: Laulau beach, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. Depth: 9 m. Length: 12 mm. 20 November 2005. coral pebbles. Photographer: Takao Urasawa
Takao Urasawa
dswith@isletwind.com
Takao Urasawa, 2005 (Dec 5) Thorunna furtiva from the Mariana Islands. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15392Dear Takao,
I am pretty sure this is Thorunna furtiva. It usually has yellow-orange markings, rather than a deep orange like this, but apart from that it fits exactly
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thorunna furtiva from Nthn Mariana Ids
December 19, 2003
From: Kenji Kobayashi
Dear Bill,
Could you identy this photo?
The photo was taken in Saipan (Northern Mariana Ids).
Regards
Kenji Kobayashi
squall@gtepacifica.net
Kobayashi, K., 2003 (Dec 19) Thorunna furtiva from Nthn Mariana Ids. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11658Dear Kenji,
This little chromodorid is Thorunna furtiva
Best wishes
Bill Rudman
Thorunna furtiva from Okinawa
June 25, 2000
From: Bob Bolland
Hi Bill,
While going through some of my chromodorid slides I came across this attractive animal, which looks a bit similar to Thorunna furtiva. It's the only one I've seen here. Can you possibly identify the animal from only the photo?
Data: RFB # 2983 / TL: 15mm / Inter-tidal / Horseshoe Cliffs, Okinawa / 18 May 1992.
Cheers,
Bob
bollandr@rapid-link.ne.jp
Bolland, R., 2000 (Jun 25) Thorunna furtiva from Okinawa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2607Dear Bob,
From experience, I have learnt to be a little bit cautious until I look inside an animal, but in this case I would say that this is Thorunna furtiva. The orange line along the anterior and posterior midline of the rhinophore clubs and the line along the outer edge of the gills is characteristic of the species.
Cheers,
Bill Rudman.
