Bermudella brunneomaculata (Gosliner, 2004)

Location: Gerombong, Tulamben, Pulau Bali, Indonesia
Date: 2017/06/23
Length: 12mm
Depth: 20.0m
Water temperature: 29.0℃

Description

The body is moderately short and high, with a well-developed notal border. Body color is uniformly translucent white. A lateral band of chocolate brown pigment extends along each side of the notum, with irregular spots of the same color scattered over the dorsal surface. Five to six pairs of elongate notal papillae are present along the body sides; the two anteriormost pairs are situated in front of the rhinophores and directed anteriorly. Four to seven elongate mid-dorsal papillae are scattered anterior to the gill, with a single mid-dorsal papilla posterior to the gill. The gill consists of 3-5 unipinnate branches. The rhinophores are elongate with about 10 well-spaced lamellae. Living animals reach 4-6 mm in length; preserved specimens are 2-3 mm.

Distribution

The type locality is Ligpo Island, Calumpan Peninsula, Batangas Province, Luzon, Philippines (1-2 m depth). The species is known from Luzon Island (Philippines) and Bali (Indonesia).

Etymology

Verbatim from the original description (Gosliner, 2004, p.129):

The specific name, Okenia brunneomaculata, comes from the scattered brown spots found on the dorsal surface of the notum.

Remarks

Originally described as Okenia brunneomaculata in Gosliner, T.M. 2004 Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 55(5): 125-161; subsequently transferred to Bermudella. Feeds on ctenostomatous bryozoans growing on the undersides of foliose sponge colonies.