Thuridilla vataae (Risbec, 1928)

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This species has been observed on Reunion and Mayotte Islands


Order : Sacoglossa
Superfamily : Plakobranchoidea
Family : Plakobranchidae
Distribution : Indo-West Pacific
Maximal size : 20 mm
Abundance : Seldom on the fore reef zone and the rocky coast


Species characteristics :

The body is dark bluish with scattered black and yellow spots

The apex of the rhinophores is bright red or orange

The margin of the parapodia is cream to yellow, but this pigment does not form a distinct band as in other members of the genus

sapsucker Thuridilla vatae
Showing species characteristics...

Photo Sophie Darnis
Reunion, "Passe de l'Hermitage " at Saint Gilles, 31 December 2007, 12 m, size 10 mm

See more about : Sightening and mating periods
   See more about : Thuridilla phylogeny by Gosliner 1995
   See more about : Thuridilla vataae variability in Southwest Indian ocean

Remarks :

Identification confirmed by Bill Rudman
    Synonymous : (according Worms)
               - Elysia vataae Risbec, 1928                - Elysia vatae Risbec, 1928   

Bibliographic data :

Material examined by M. L. Gosliner ( see reference/publications).

CAZIZ 087158, one specimen, dissected, 2 km south of St Gilles, Reunion, 2m depth, 27 July 1977, M. L. Gosliner

Characteristics

The head is the same color as the body with a y-shaped yellowish or white marking that extends onto most of the length of the rhinophores
    T. vataae is quite similar in colour to T. albopustulosa but

T. vataae

T. albopustulosa

The ground color is a dark gray to black

The parapodia are ornamented with black and yellow spots

White pigment covers most of the length of rhinophores and only the apex is red/orange.

The tip of the rhinophores is a solid transverse band of red pigment

The ground color is blue

The parapodia are white or cream

The majority of the rhinophores are red/orange rather than white

The tip of the rhinophores is a transverse band with median white patches or line.

References :

Bill Rudman Seaslug site : Sea Slug Forum : Thuridilla vatae
   Nudipixel Thuridilla vataae

Publications :

  Jensen, K.R. (1992). Anatomy of some Indo-Pacific Elysiidae (Opisthobranchia: Sacoglossa [=Ascoglossa]), with a discussion of the generic division and phylogeny. Mal. Soc. London, 58 : 257-96.
    Gosliner, T.M. (1995) The genus Thuridilla (Opisthobranchia: Elysiidae) from the tropical Indo-Pacific, with a revision of the phylogeny and systematics of the Elysiidae. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 49(1) : 1-54.
    Jensen, K.R. (2007). Biogeography of the Sacoglossa (Mollusca, Opisthobranchia). Bonner Zoologische Beiträge. 55: 255–281.

Other photos of Thuridilla vataae :


Philibert Bidgrain

Reunion, La Saline lagoon, less 1 m, 28 June 2010, size : 10-12 mm

A specimen with its spawn...


Christophe Cadet

Reunion, La Saline lagoon, less 1 m , 30 December 2009, size : 13 mm

In this specimen the margin of the parapodia is yellow.

but this pigment does not form a distinct band as in other members of the genus


Hugues Flodrops

Reunion, "Pool of Grande Anse", 25 December 2007, 1 m, size : 20 mm.

Crawling on algae during the night

This specimen present an important orange coloration on the rhinophore


Philibert Bidgrain

Reunion, Trou d'eau lagoon, less 1 m, 17 June 2010, size : 10 mm

In this specimen the margin of the parapodia is cream.

but this pigment does not form a distinct band as in other members of the genus


 

Maurice Jay

Reunion,

The head is the same color as the body with a y-shaped yellowish or white marking that extends onto most of the length of the rhinophores


Philibert Bidgrain

Mayotte, Mtsanga Tanaraki, less 1 m, 24 July 2010, size : 10 mm

Two specimens with their with orange spawn

 


 More photos from Indian Ocean

See more about : Thuridilla phylogeny by Gosliner 1995

See more about : Thuridilla vataae variability in Southwest Indian ocean

Reunion, Thuridilla vataae, at Saint Leu, by Sebastien Pomarede 

Reunion, abnormal Thuridilla vataae with two tails, at Saint Gilles, by Philibert Bidgrain  

Reunion, Thuridilla vataae with its orange spawn, at Saint Gilles, by Philibert Bidgrain