This species has been observed on Reunion, Mayotte and Madagascar Islands
Order :
Cephalaspidea
Superfamily :
Philinoidea
Family :
Colpodaspididae
Distribution :
Tropical Indo-West Pacific
Maximal size : 5 mm
Abundance : Seldom if ever on the fore reef zone
Species characteristics :
It's black or dark brown with raised white patches on the mantle containing yellow spots. These patches are very variable, both in size and in number of yellow spots.
On the right side of the mantle there is an elongate exhalent siphon
Anteriorly the foot is expanded into rounded lobe and the tail extends along way posteriorly.
|
|
|
Photo Christophe Cadet
Reunion, Saint Leu lagoon, less 1 m, 26 January 2010
Size : 3 mm
|
See more about : Sightening and mating periods
Remarks :
Identification confirmed by Bill Rudman
Synonymous : (according Worms)
- No other name
Bibliographic data :
The head have an "Y" shape, The two extensions of the"Y" corresponded to the rhinophores.
The fragile bubble-shaped shell is completely enveloped by the mantle.
The head and tail are black or brown and the foot and rhinophores are translucent white.
There is a large central mucus gland in the sole of the foot which probably produces a sticky mucus enabling the animal to stick on the algae on which it is found.
Brown (1979) reports that the preferred microhabitis the brown alga Turbinaria ornata, but Willan in Heron island found only this species under dead coral slabs at the reef crest and not in association with this particular alga.
Both diet and spawn are unknown
References :
Bill Rudman Seaslug site : Sea Slug Forum : Colpodaspis thompsoni
Nudipixel Colpodaspis thompsoni
Publications :
Brown, G.H. (1979) An investigation of the anatomy of Colpodaspis pusilla (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia) and a description of a new species of Colpodaspis from Tanzanian coastal waters. Journal of Zoology, London , 187 : 201-221.
Other photos of Colpodaspis thompsoni :
 |
Nathalie Bazard
Madagascar, Nosy bé
|
Christophe Cadet Mating behavior... |
Reunion, Etang salé on the rocky coast, 9 December 2011, size : 3-4 mm |
Reunion, Etang salé on the rocky coast, 11 November 2010, size : 3-4 mm |
|
|
 |
Christophe Cadet
Reunion, Etang Salé, on the rocky coast, less 1 m, 2 November 2010
Probably with its spawn...
|
Christophe Cadet
Reunion, L'Ermitage laggon, less 1 m , 19 February 2010, size : 3 mm
Usually this species is black or dark brown with raised white patches on the mantle containing yellow spots.
In this specimen the white area is reduced to a thin line around the yellow spot... |
 |
 |
Marina Poddubetskaia
"Passe en S" buoy n° 1bis ", Mayotte, 9 m, 13 November 2003, size : 4-5 mm
(a) On the right side of the mantle there is an elongate exhalent siphon
(b) The head have an "Y" shape, The two extensions of the"Y" corresponded to the rhinophores. |
Emmanuel Eby
Reunion, Saint Leu, 17 November 2004 Size : 3-5 mm
On the right side of the mantle you can observe the elongate exhalent siphon. |
 |
More photos from Indian Ocean
Reunion, Colpodaspis thompsoni black with only yellow spots, at Saint Gilles, by Christophe Cadet
|