Ercolania boodleae (Baba, 1938)

Location: Wannai, Osezaki, Shizuoka, Japan
Date: 2017/01/25
Length: 6mm
Depth: 2.0m
Water temperature: 14.9℃

Description

A small sacoglossan, body length 4-5 mm. Body slender and aeolidiform with a smooth surface. Head large, slightly sinuous in front. Rhinophores long and slender, without an external groove. Cerata long-fusiform when extended and nearly conical when contracted; deciduous, arranged on each side in 7-8 closely-set oblique rows, with about 1-3 cerata per row. The outer cerata are short and the innermost the largest. The anus lies in the posterior region of the pericardial prominence, just to the right of the midline; the nephroproct closely behind it. The genital opening is on the right side immediately below the first ceratal row. The foot is large, as broad as the body, with an anterior edge that is simple and abruptly rounded at the corners. General body colour black, with the foot brim, anterior edge of the head, eye region and sole lighter greyish. Ceratal tips are always brown.

Distribution

Type locality: Seto, Kii, Japan (very common on the green alga Boodlea coacta).

Etymology

The specific epithet boodleae is the Latin genitive of the green-algal genus Boodlea; it is not a personal patronym but refers to the host alga on which the species was found in abundance.

Remarks

Originally placed in subgenus Stiliger (Stiliger), and subsequently transferred to Ercolania. Ercolania emarginata, described from Hong Kong, is treated as a junior subjective synonym. The Japanese name "Arimo-umiushi" derives from "Arimo", the vernacular for the host alga Boodlea.

Photographed by KIMOTO Nobuhiko

Description

Distribution

Etymology

Remarks

References

A Kindle field guide by the site author

Seasonality

Shooting Locations

Photos of Ercolania boodleae

Same Genus Nudibranchs

Similar Colors Nudibranchs

Academic Database