Herviella mietta     Marcus & Burch, 1965

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This species has been observed on Mauritius Island


Order : Nudibranchia
Suborder : Dexiarchia
Superfamily : Aeolidioidea
Family : Facelinidae
Distribution : Western and Central Pacific, Andaman and Reunion Islands
Maximal size : 40 mm
Abundance :


Species characteristics :

Body dark brown or black with a translucent white patch immediately behind either rhinophore

The cerata is black with opaque white pigment on the base and the tip of some cerata and the yellow/orange intestinal gland sometimes showing though.

The foot and the sole are white.

herviella mietta
Showing species characteristics...
Photo Geoffrey Summers
Mauritius, Pointe d'Esny, less 1 m, December 2015, size : 25-30 mm

See more about : Sightening and mating periods

Remarks :

Identification confirmed by Nathalie Yonow
    Synonymous : (according Worms)
               - No other name

Bibliographic data :

The original description mentions two colour types.
                  - The first color type is light and transparent, the back covered in white granules, the head has a black pattern, there is a black band on the rhinophores, some black pigment on the (oral) tentacles, and the yellow diverticula of the intestinal gland may seen in the cerata (which also have white cnidosacs and, in their basal third, brown pigment).
                  - The second color type is dark, and the back and upper part of the sides of the foot are black, the rest of the foot and the sole are white, the tentacles have a narrow black longitudinal stripe, there is a black band on the rhinophores, there are light haloes around the eyes and between the tentacles, and the cerata are black, with a white cnidosac and the yellow/orange intestinal gland showing though".
                  - Own specimens corresponded to the second color type...

    Gosliner (1979) reports H. mietta and records it feeding on the anemone Anthopleura nigrescens. He also notes that Rosin's (1969) earlier extensive observations of Herviella sp. feeding on the column of Anthopleura refer to this species.

References :

Bill Rudman Seaslug site : Sea Slug Forum : Herviella mietta
   Seaslug of Hawai Herviella mietta

Publications :

Baskaran R, Anandavelu I, Karpoorasundarapandian N, Mohan P.M and Padmavati G; (january 2013) First record of Herviella mietta from the
Andaman Islands, Indian Ocean (Nudibranchia: Aeolidina: Glaucidae)
Marine Biodiversity Records, page 1 of 4.
    Gosliner, T.M. (1979) The systematics of the Aeolidiacea (Nudibranchia: Mollusca) of the Hawaiian Islands, with descriptions of two new species. Pacific Science, 33(1) : 37-77
    Marcus, Er., & Burch, J.B. (1965) Marine euthyneuran Gastropoda from Eniwetok Atoll, western Pacific. Malacologia, 3(2) : 235-262.
    Rosin,R (1969) Escape response of the Sea Anemone Anthopleura nigrescens (Verrill) to its predatory aeolid nudibranch, Herviella Baba sp. nov. The Veliger, 12(1) : 74-77.

Other photos of Herviella mietta :


 

Geoffrey Summers

Mauritius, Pointe d'Esny, less 1 m, December 2015, size : 25-30 mm

The second color type is dark, and the back and upper part of the sides of the foot are black, the rest of the foot and the sole are white, the tentacles have a narrow black longitudinal stripe, there is a black band on the rhinophores, there are light haloes around the eyes and between the tentacles (a), and the cerata are black, with a white cnidosac(b) and the yellow/orange intestinal gland (c) showing though".

Body dark brown or black with a translucent white patch immediately behind either rhinophore (d)

Probably a spawn of another species...


 

Geoffrey Summers

Mauritius, Ile aux aigrettes, less 1 m, January 2016, size : 20-25 mm

These are on the south side of Ile aux Aigrettes in a small cove. The
substratum is rock not sand.

5 spécimens observed under a dead shell of Tridacna sp.

The color type is dark, and the back and upper part of the sides of the foot are black, the rest of the foot and the sole are white(a)


 More photos from Indian Ocean

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