Nine new Cyerce species described — Indo-West Pacific sap-sucker slugs get a major revision

The sap-sucking leaf slug genus Cyerce just had a whole batch of names dropped on it at once. There is essentially no Japanese-water data in the paper, but the new species seem to be distributed across the Indo-West Pacific, so I think most of these will be locally applicable too.

https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article-abstract/204/1/zlaf030/8133998

Cyerce katiae

amime-uroko-umiushi ("net-pattern scaly slug")

Named for Kati Eschweiler.

The body bears fine white dots on the flanks and dorsum, and the flat cerata are wavy along their margins in a lacy "net" pattern.

One of the harder sea slugs to photograph well, in my own dive experience.

Cyerce takanoi

(no Japanese vernacular; no matching photograph on this site)

Named for the Japanese phycologist Takeshi Takano.

Externally it looks essentially identical to Cyerce nigricans (kimadara-uroko-umiushi), and I am sceptical you could tell them apart by eye in the field. The described individual was juvenile, so what an adult looks like is also unknown. Photographs from New Caledonia and Vanuatu would help.

Cyerce trowbridgeae

(no Japanese vernacular)

Named for Cynthia Trowbridge, a leading authority on sacoglossans.

Has a blue-grey edging on the head and along the margins of the cerata.

Cyerce blackburnae

hanabira-umiushi ("petal slug")

Named for Christine Blackburn.

Pale and dark-brown blotches over the whole body that combine into a reticulated pattern.

Cyerce tutela

(no Japanese vernacular; no matching photograph on this site)

The Latin noun tutela means "protection" or "guardianship", and the species name honours the Traditional Owners and Indigenous peoples of Australia, who continue to care for both land and sea.

Known only from Western Australia.