Nembrotha milleri a Polyceridae find in Reunion island (Indian Ocean)

Nembrotha cf milleri Gosliner & Behrens, 1997

This species has been observed on Mauritius and Mayotte Islands

Order : Nudibranchia
Suborder : Euctenidiacea
Superfamily : Polyceroidea
Family : Polyceridae
Distribution : Tropical Western Pacific
Maximal size : Usualy less than 60 mm but sometimes 100 mm.
Abundance : (Mau) From time to time on the fore reef zone

Species characteristics :

Grey-green to dark green body with longitudinal wrinkles down the body and dark pustules

There are three basal gill stalks which split into five branching gills.

The gill filaments and lamellae are black as are the rhinophore clubs.

Showing species characteristics...

Photo Marina Poddubetskaia
"L’aquarium de Pereybere", Mauritius, 11 m, 12 October 2002, size 70 mm

See more about : Sightening and mating periods

Remarks :

Identification confirmed by Bill Rudman and Nathalie Yonow
According Nathalie Yonow " I think this species is not N. milleri but a species Eliot described from Zanzibar in 1904. He called it cristata or nigerrima (= kubaryana ). N. milleri is quite different, and this Indian Ocean species is turning up in lots of photos"

Bibliographic data :

This species like other Nembrotha eating ascidians (sea squirts, tunicates).
One thing that was readily apparent was that this species is extremely difficult to photograph showing the color accurately, the velvety skin just soaks up the light making the animal look darker than it really is
When Gosliner and Behrens were describing N. milleri they observed a range in body coloration, and size of pustules.

References :

Bill Rudman Seaslug site : Sea Slug Forum : Nembrotha milleri
Nudipixel Nembrotha milleri

Publications :

Gosliner, T.M. & Behrens, D.W. (1997) Description of four new species of phanerobranch dorids from the Indo-Pacific, with a redescription of Gymnodoris aurita (Gould, 1852). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 49(9) : 287-308.

Other photos of Nembrotha cf milleri :

Richard Lai Cheong

"Maru", a fishing boat sank in 1987, at Trou aux biches, Mauritius, 25 m,

25 November 2006,

size 30 mm.

May be the difference of coloration with the three other specimens is a consequence of the velvety skin which just soaks up the light making the animal look darker than it really is