Tambja pulcherrima Willan & Y.-W. Chang, 2017
Description
A large polycerid reaching up to 80 mm in extended crawling length. Background body colour highly variable, ranging from yellow through orange. Dorsal surface bears numerous pale-blue to blue tubercles, each clearly outlined by a narrow black line. The frontal-veil margin and the foot edge bear a continuous ridge of the same blue colour as the tubercles. Rhinophores deep blue ('iron navy'). Gill axes externally pale green to blue, with purple gill leaves. Body elongate, limaciform.Distribution
Widely distributed across the western Pacific Ocean — from southern Japan, Taiwan and Korea south through the Philippines and Papua New Guinea to eastern Australia and northern New Zealand — in tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate waters.Etymology
The specific epithet 'pulcherrima' is the Latin superlative feminine adjective meaning 'most beautiful', from 'pulcher' (beautiful), in reference to the vivid coloration.Remarks
Described as a new species on the basis of specimens that had long been confused with Tambja verconis (Basedow & Hedley, 1905), the type species of Tambja. The two species are externally similar but T. pulcherrima is distinguished by the consistent black outline around each blue tubercle, the wider geographic range, and morphological details of the radula and reproductive system. Records previously reported from the western Pacific (especially Japan) under the name T. verconis should be referred here.References
- タンブヤ・ウェルコニス Tambja verconis (Basedow & Hedley, 1905), 中野理枝. (2004). 本州のウミウシ. ラトルズ.
- Tambja sp. 1, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2015). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific. New World Pubns Inc.
- スルガリュウグウウミウシ(新称), 中野理枝 & 小谷光. (2016). 高知県大月町樫西海域及び一切海域から記録された後鰓類. Kuroshio Biosphere. 12: 21-43.
- Tambja pulcherrima spec. nov., Willan R.C. & Chang Y.-W. [Yen-Wei]. (2017). Description of three new species of Tambja (Gastropoda, Nudibranchia, Polyceridae) from the western Pacific Ocean reveals morphological characters with taxonomic and phylogenetic significance for traditional Polyceridae and related 'phaneorobranch' nudibranchs. Basteria. 81(1-3): 1-23.
- Tambja pulcherrima, Willan, R. C. & Chang, Y.-W. (2017). Description of three new species of Tambja (Gastropoda, Nudibranchia, Polyceridae) from the western Pacific Ocean reveals morphological characters with taxonomic and phylogenetic significance for traditional Polyceridae and related phaneorobranch nudibranchs. Basteria 81(1-3): 1-23.
- スルガリュウグウウミウシ, 中野理枝. (2018). 日本のウミウシ. 文一総合出版.
- Tambja sp. 1, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2018). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific 2nd Edition. New World Pubns Inc.
- スルガリュウグウウミウシ, 小野篤司 & 加藤昌一. (2020). 新版 ウミウシ. 誠文堂新光社.
Featured in this book
Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2018). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific 2nd Edition. New World Pubns Inc.
New World Publications
This species, Tambja pulcherrima, is included in the book.
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Tag:
Same Genus Nudibranchs
Academic Database
Sea slug observation data is available in international marine biodiversity databases.