Cerberilla affinis Bergh, 1888

Location: Pulau Bali, Indonesia
Date: 2006/01/01
Length: 450mm
Depth: 17.0m
Water temperature: 28.0℃

Description

A large aeolid, body length up to 4.5 cm; rhinophores about 3.5 mm high, oral tentacles 7 mm, and cerata reaching 30-35 mm. The head is mostly formed by a frontal shield with rounded outer corners, from the base of which arise the rather long oral tentacles. The simple erect rhinophores stand close together on the neck. The dorsum is narrower than the foot; the dense lateral ceratal rows leave only a narrow median strip exposed on the front third of the back. Anteriorly, two ceratal groups are united horseshoe-shape on each side. About 23 transverse low pedestals follow, decreasing in length backwards; the longest cerata (33-35 mm) occur on the 9th-10th pedestal. The foot tentacles are long.

Distribution

Type locality: Polo-Edam (Pulau Damar Besar), Jakarta Bay, Java Sea, Indonesia. The species now ranges across the Indo-West Pacific to the central Pacific.

Etymology

The specific epithet affinis ("related, akin") refers to the close affinity with Cerberilla annulata, of which the form was originally described as a variety.

Remarks

Originally proposed as a variety of Cerberilla annulata and later elevated to full species rank. The genus Cerberilla is distinguished by long oral tentacles, tentacle-like extensions of the anterior foot corners, robust dentition and a smooth jaw cutting edge — all associated with a burrowing lifestyle in soft substrata.