Thuridilla carlsoni
Gosliner, 1995
Order: SACOGLOSSA
Superfamily: ELYSIOIDEA
Family: Elysiidae
DISTRIBUTION
Hawaiian Ids, Marshall Ids, Guam, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, tropical Australia.
PHOTO
Lagoon between mainland and Récif de l'Infernet, off Koumac, New Caledonia, 20°35.6'S, 164°15.2'E, 10m, Sand and grey mud, 28 October 1993, 21mm long alive. Photo: Bill Rudman.
The very characteristically coloured elysiid is known from both the east and west coasts of Australia (Wells & Bryce, 1993; personal observations). I have found it in New Caledonia, and Gosliner has recorded it from other parts of the western Pacific. It is characterised by the clusters of deep green marks on a dull cream background. The rhinophores are cream except for green patterning at the base and a brownish orange tip.
Reference:
•Gosliner, T.M. (1995) The genus Thuridilla (Opisthobranchia: Elysiidae) from the tropical Indo-Pacific, with a revision of their phylogeny and systematics of the Elysiidae. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 49(1): 1-54.
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (June 19) Thuridilla carlsoni Gosliner, 1995. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/thurcarl
Related messages
Thuridilla carlsoni from Indonesia
February 12, 2008
From: Mirjam Broos
Dear Bill,
I really have no clue. The rhinophores are pretty big. Can you help me out?
Locality: Tulemben wreck, 5 metre, Indonesia, Bali, Indian ocean, 02 april 2007. Photographer: Geert Prast.
thanks,
Mirjam
mirjam.broos@planet.nl
Broos, M., 2008 (Feb 12) Thuridilla carlsoni from Indonesia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21275Dear Mirjam,
When you see an animal with only one set of rhinophores like this you can be pretty sure it is a sacoglossan sea slug not a nudibranch. This is Thuridilla carlsoni
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thuridilla carlsoni - Ningaloo Reef Western Australia
February 5, 2008
From: Kristin J Anderson
Dear Bill
Found this one in Exmouth Gulf on Saturday. I do not see a Ningaloo Reef or Western Australia record so far on the forum, so thought I'd pop it in here for you.
Locality: Ningaloo Reef, 8m, Western Australia, Exmouth Gulf, 19 January 2008, tidal, silty, coral/limestone structures. Length: 1-1.5 cms. Photographer: Kristin Anderson.
Kristin Anderson
kristin@oceansbyanderson.com
Anderson, K.J., 2008 (Feb 5) Thuridilla carlsoni - Ningaloo Reef Western Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21345Thanks Kristin,
Bill Rudman
Thuridilla carlsoni from Sulawesi
December 30, 2006
From: Mike Krampf
Dear Bill
Not a lot of posting on the site so I thought I'd share this picture. It was taken at Budo Point dive site off Sulawesi on a night dive.
Locality: Dive Site - Budo Point, 45 ft, Sulawesi, Indonesia, Celebes Sea, 21 October 2006, Fringing reef. Length: 2 cm. Photographer: Mike Krampf.
Not to diverge to far, can you recommend a website that helps with identifying flatworms?
Mike
mtkrampf@yahoo.com
Krampf, M., 2006 (Dec 30) Thuridilla carlsoni from Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18628
Dear Mike,
Thanks for this record. I've added a close-up alongside to draw attention to the green patches on the parapodia. They are not pigment spots but 'gardens' of chloroplasts obtained from the green algae this animal feeds on. Have a look on the solar-powered slugs for back ground information.
Have a look at the flatworm Fact Sheet for a link to a good page.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thuridilla carlsoni from Indonesia
May 3, 2005
From: Roberto Sozzani
Dear Bill,
I send this photo of Thuridilla carlsoni because there are none from Indonesia in the Forum.
Locality: Sangeang island, Indonesia. Depth: 15 metres. Length: 10 mm. June 2003. Sandy slope. Photographer: Roberto Sozzani
Best regards
Roberto Sozzani
www.robertosozzani.it
roberto.sozzani@fastwebnet.it
Sozzani, R., 2005 (May 3) Thuridilla carlsoni from Indonesia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13675Thanks Roberto,
Bill Rudman
Thuridilla carlsoni from SE Queensland
November 13, 2003
From: Gary Cobb
Hi Bill!
Please find attached a photo I took while on a dive here at Wait-a-while off Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia, 20 degree water, 14m depth, length about 10mm. Could these be Thuridilla carlsoni? While on the search I found two animals about 20m apart. I was trying to focus on the little critters and found the tops of their back appeared fuzzy! Why is this? Are they common to this area? This is the first time I have ever seen them.
Thanks
Gary Cobb
gary@cobb.com.au
Cobb, G., 2003 (Nov 13) Thuridilla carlsoni from SE Queensland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11349Dear Gary,
Yes this is Thuridilla carlsoni. I don't know if this species is ever common. We don't know a lot about it, and there are not that many records of it, but that could be because it lives in 'weedy' places rather than more spectacular places where corals and other more photogenic organisms abound.
I'm afraid the fuzzy edges are a focussing problem. I'm afraid both the human eye and automatic focussing systems find it easier to focus on more contrasty parts of an image like the green specks, than the pale rounded edge of the parapodia.
Cheers
Bill Rudman
Thuridilla carlsoni from Philippines
June 20, 2000
From: Erwin Koehler
Dear Bill,
This one is from the Philippines, Negros Oriental Is., divesite "Sibulan housereef",
March 2000, depth 15 m, size 2 cm.
This photo is by Fred Vogt.
Erwin
Medslugs.Koehler@t-online.de
Koehler, E., 2000 (Jun 20) Thuridilla carlsoni from Philippines. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2599Dear Erwin,
This is Thuridilla carlsoni Gosliner, 1995.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.
