Ceratosoma gracillimum
Semper in Bergh, 1876
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Below is comment from Dr. Bill Rudman, go to Sea Slug Forum to read more information
Dear Mike,
Thanks for these photos which show not only colour variation but species differences as well. The upper two animals are Ceratosoma gracillimum which can be distinguished externally by the complete absence of the mantle edge between the head and the well-developed lateral lobes on each side. The animal in the lower photo is indeed C. trilobatum. In it you can see the mantle edge, edged in purple, between the head and the lateral lobes. Both species have a similar range of colour variations, as does C. tenue, but they differ from each other externally by the lack of a mantle edge in C. gracillimum and the extra pair of small lateral lobes in C. tenue.
One other point which might be of interest. In the middle photo there is a bit of a grey sponge visible in the top of the photo. You wouldn't by chance have a photo of Ceratosoma, on or eating that sponge would you? It looks as though it could belong to a family of sponges which I think Ceratosoma feeds on. For that matter, if you haven't already been harassed by me for photos of slugs 'doing things', if you have any photos of Ceratosoma feeding or taking what looks like more than a passing interest on a possible food item, please send them in. I consider one success out of 20 'possibles' to be reasonable odds so don't worry if you are not sure.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
| Location: | Lembeh, Indonesia |
| Photographer: | Mike Krampf |
| Camera: | Olympus μ600 › View EXIF properties |
| Taken on: | October 28, 2006 |
| Viewed: | 678 times |
| Posted: | 1 year ago |
| Updated: | 1 year ago |
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Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Opisthobranchia |
| Order: | Nudibranchia |
| Suborder: | Doridina |
| Family: | Chromodorididae |
| Species: | Ceratosoma gracillimum |