Cerberilla annulata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832)

Description

A small aeolid reaching about 17–22 mm in length, ovate with an acutely tapered posterior. Body pure white. Numerous slender cylindrical cerata are arranged in two lateral rows on the dorsum, each ceras tipped by adjoining yellow and black rings. Behind each rhinophore lies a horseshoe-shaped patch of very small cerata edged in black. The oral tentacles are long and tightly coiled at rest, and the anterior corners of the foot extend laterally as auricle-like flaps.

Distribution

Type locality is Doreh Bay, on the north coast of New Guinea (modern Manokwari, West Papua, Indonesia). The species occurs across the Indo-West Pacific.

Etymology

The specific epithet annulata is the Latin feminine of annulatus, "ringed", referring to the contrasting yellow and black rings at the tip of each ceras described in the original diagnosis.

Remarks

The Japanese vernacular マエダカスミミノウミウシ was proposed in the survey of opisthobranchs from the northern coast of Amami-Ōshima. The yellow-and-black ringed ceratal tips constitute the most distinctive external identifier of this species.

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References

• Eolidia annulata, Quoy J.R.C. & Gaimard J.P. (1832-1834). Mollusques. In: Dumont d'Urville J. (ed.) Voyage de la corvette l'Astrolabe exécuté par ordre du Roi pendant les années 1826-1827-1828-1829, Zoologie. Tome 2, parts 1 (1832) & 2 (1833). J. Tastu, Paris.
• Cerberilla annulata, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2015). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific. New World Pubns Inc.
• マエダカスミミノウミウシ* (新称), 中野理枝, 朝倉知子, 池田紫, 石川雅教, 今本淳, 岩瀬南美, 西田和記, 堀江諒, 山田久子 & 渡井久美. (2017). 奄美大島北部海域における後鰓類相の調査報告. Kuroshio Biosphere. 13: 1-18 + 6 pls.
• マエダカスミミノウミウシ, 中野理枝. (2018). 日本のウミウシ. 文一総合出版.