Thorunna halourga Johnson & Gosliner, 2001

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This species has been observed on Madagascar Island


Order : Nudibranchia
Suborder : Euctenidiacea
Superfamily : Doridoidea
Family : Chromodorididae
Distribution : Western Pacific, Kenya and Madagascar
Maximal size : 20 mm
Abundance : Seldom if ever...


Species characteristics :

The mantle is a pinkish purple becoming darker purple in front of the rhinophores and behind the gills

The mantle margin, which is slightly undulate, has a broad opaque white band

The rhinophores are edged with orange.

The gills are white with orange axes band.

thorunna halourga
Showing species characteristics...
Photo Alain Benoît Rassat
Madagascar, Nosy Bé, patate de l'entrée, 7 m, 13 May 2016, size : 20 mm

See more about : Sightening and mating periods

Remarks :

Identification confirmed by Hsini Lin
    Synonymous : (according Worms)
          - No other name

Bibliographic data :

The most similar to Thorunna halourga is Thorunna punicea which has purple tipped rhinophores and gills, and Durvilledoris albofimbria, which externally has a much thinner white marginal band.
    Etymology : The name is derived from the Greek word, "halourgus", which means sea-purple, to draw attention to the animal deep purple body color.

References :

Bill Rudman Seaslug site : Sea Slug Forum : Thorunna halourga
   Nudipixel Thorunna halourga

Publications :

Johnson, R.F. & Gosliner, T.M. 2001. Two new species of Thorunna Bergh 1878 (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Chromodorididae) from the Indo-Pacific. Bollettino Malacologico ,37(5-8) : 143-150
    Marshall, J.G. & Willan, R.C. 1999. Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef: a survey of the Opisthobranchia (Sea Slugs) of Heron and Wistari Reefs . Leiden, Backhuys Publishers. [as Thorunna sp. 1 ]

Other photos of Thorunna halourga :



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