Thuridilla decorata
(Heller & Thompson, 1983)
Order: SACOGLOSSA
Superfamily: ELYSIOIDEA
Family: Elysiidae
DISTRIBUTION
Known only from the Red Sea
PHOTO
Red Sea at 'Black Mountain' dive site, about 550km south of Jeddah, on 21 August 1992. 8mm long and found on filamentous algae on the reef flat at a depth of 1.5m. Photos: John Chuk.
First described from the Sudanese Red Sea as Elysia decorata. Characterised by the brownish green colour of the parapodia and the broken black lines along the parapodial edge and at the junction of the foot and the parapodia. The broad creamish white parapodial border varies greatly in width along the edge similar to the border of Chromodoris fidelis. There a few reocrds of this species in the literature.
References:
• Heller, J. & Thompson, T.E. (1983)Opisthobranch molluscs of the Sudanese Red Sea. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 78(4): 317-348.
• Jensen, K.R. (1992). Anatomy of some Indo-Pacific Elysiidae (Opisthobranchia: Sacoglossa [=Ascoglossa]), with a discussion of the generic division and phylogeny. Mal. Soc. London, 58: 257-96.
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (January 6) Thuridilla decorata (Heller & Thompson, 1983). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/thurdeco
Related messages
Thuridilla decorata from the Red Sea
September 3, 2009
From: Marcel Tanke
Concerning message #15056:
Dear Bill,
Not often recorded, according to your message, but Thuridilla decorata is still there!
Locality: Beachdive Coral Bay Resort, Safaga, about 20 meters, Egypt, Red Sea, 27 July 2009, Sandy bottom, coral garden . Length: about 1.5 cm. Photographer: Marcel Tanke.
Best regards,
Marcel
marceltanke@cs.com
Tanke, M.A., 2009 (Sep 3) Thuridilla decorata from the Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22629Dear Marcel,
Nice to get another record. From your photo we can see it has nice orange 'lips'
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thuridilla decorata from the Red Sea
October 26, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
Here's another record of a Thuridilla decorata. It was slightly bigger than usuall, and a bit "chubby", making it possible to get a better photo.
Locality: The caves, Eilat Bay, Israel. Red Sea. Depth: ~20 meters. Length: 1-1.5 cm. 06 October 2005. Photographer: Oren Lederman
Oren Lederman
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Lederman, O., 2005 (Oct 26) Thuridilla decorata from the Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15056Dear Oren,
From an 'unknown', this species has quickly become rather well documented - at least photographically
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Another Red Sea record of Thuridilla decorata
August 31, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
I've got a few more records of Thuridilla decorata from the Red Sea. I believe me and my dive buddy spotted about 6 of them so far. I didn't take photos of all of them, so i'm sending what i got :
Upper photo: "The Caves", Eilat, Israel at ~6 m, 30 Jun 2005.
Lower photos: Diver's Village, Eilat, Israel at ~4 m, 24 Aug 2005. Photographer: Oren Lederman
Cheers,
Oren
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Thanks Oren,
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Another Red Sea record of Thuridilla decorata
August 26, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
A Thuridilla decorata my dive buddy spotted a few weeks ago.
Locality: The Lighthouse, Eilat, Israel. Red Sea. Depth: ~6 m. Length: ~1 cm. 12 Aug 2005. Photographer: Oren Lederman
Oren Lederman
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Lederman, O., 2005 (Aug 26) Another Red Sea record of Thuridilla decorata. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14619
Dear Oren,
You and your buddies have doubled the known records of this species. It will be interesting to see whether it turns out to be a Red Sea endemic or has a wider geographical distribution.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thuridilla decorata from the Red Sea
July 16, 2005
From: Oren Lederman
Hi Bill,
My dive buddy found this one last weekend.
Locality: "The caves", Eilat, Israel, (Gulf of Aqaba), Red Sea. Depth: ~ 4meters. Length: ~1 cm. 30-Jun-2005. Photographer: Oren Lederman
Is it Thuridilla decorata?
Oren Lederman
lederman@bigmail.co.il
Lederman, O., 2005 (Jul 16) Thuridilla decorata from the Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14208Dear Oren,
Yes this is Thuridilla decorata. It's nice to have another record if this rarely reported species.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Thuridilla decorata from Saudi Arabia
January 7, 2002
From: John Chuk
Dear Bill,
Here is yet another specimen I'm unable to identify. This one is a small elysiid that was photographed in the Red Sea at 'Black Mountain' dive site, about 550km south of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 21 August 1992. The specimen was 8mm in length and was found on filamentous algae on the reef flat at a depth of 1.5m.
Any help with identification would be appreciated.
Best wishes,
John.
jchuk@giant.net.au
Chuk, J., 2002 (Jan 7) Thuridilla decorata from Saudi Arabia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5877Dear John,
This is Thuridilla decorata, and interesting little elysiid which has only been found, so far, in the Red Sea. I know of only a very few records of this species, but I don't know whether it is actually rare or just seldom seen.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
