Chelidonura electra Rudman, 1970

Description

An aglajid cephalaspidean. Holotype 5.0 × 1.5 cm (preserved); second specimen 7.0 × 1.7 cm. Body elongate; head-shield tapers posteriorly to a bluntly triangular posterior end which extends beyond the limits of the anterior cavity, forming an unattached flap. Behind the flap the visceral hump rises from the foot. From the posterior end of the visceral hump arise an unequal pair of lobes, the left being long and fleshy, about as long as the body, the right lobe half this length. Parapodia large, fleshy, folding over the dorsum. Gill large, almost completely enclosed by the posterior processes. Hancock's organ a region of 10 distinct compound folds posterior to the gill. Eyes small, black, situated on each side of the centre line close to the anterior edge of the head-shield. No sensory processes observed on anterior edge of head. The reproductive system bears a penial papilla and a long prostate gland. Body translucent white; the margins of the parapodia, posterior lobes and anterior corner margins of the head are bright lemon yellow.

Distribution

Type locality is Paruru, Marau Sound, Guadacanal, Solomon Islands; specimens collected on a small brown coral (Porites sp.) in a lagoon in 25 feet of water by Mr. Ian Gower. The type series consists of the two Solomon Is. specimens only. Subsequently reported from eastern Australia (vicinity of Clarence River Heads, northern New South Wales; Orpheus and Hook Reefs, Queensland) and elsewhere across the tropical western Pacific.

Etymology

The specific epithet electra honours the Greek goddess Electra, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys — "the bright or brilliant one".

Remarks

The pure white body with lemon-yellow margins distinguishes the species from C. pallida (New Caledonia), which bears a lateral black line, and from the white, yellow-margined C. amoena.

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References

• Chelidonura electra (genus Chelidonura), Adams A. (1850). Monograph of the family Bullidae. In: Sowerby G.B. (II) Thesaurus Conchyliorum, or Monographs of Genera of Shells. Vol. 2. London: Sowerby. pp. 553-608, pls. 119-125.
• Chelidonura electra, Gosliner T.M. (1986). The genus Chelidonura (Opisthobranchia: Aglajidae) in tropical Indo-Pacific waters with descriptions of two new species. Boletim de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo. 10: 35-56.
• Chelidonura electra, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2015). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific. New World Pubns Inc.