Stiliger smaragdinus
Baba, 1949

Order: SACOGLOSSA
Family: Limapontiidae

DISTRIBUTION

Described from Japan and reported from much of Australia, including Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales.

PHOTO

UPPER: Solitary Is, Coffs Harbour Region, New South Wales, Australia. March 1988. 39mm long. LOWER: Well-camouflaged animal [left of photo - note white-tipped rhinophores], 46mm long, on its food algae Caulerpa racemosa. Sthn Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, February 1985. AM C145205. PHOTOS: Bill Rudman.

RELATED TOPIC

Defensive coloration in sea slugs

Stiliger smaragdinus, like many algal feeding sacoglossans is almost invisible on its food as the algal colour pigments are retained in the digestive system and help to colour the animal. In this species the dorsal cerata have become an exact match, in size and shape, with the bubble-like bladders of the Caulerpa. Grows to 50mm in Australia.

Reference:
•Baba, K. (1949) Opisthobranchia of Sagami Bay. Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo. 211pp + pls.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1998 (October 14) Stiliger smaragdinus Baba, 1949. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/stilsmar

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