OKINAWAN
OPISTHOBRANCH OF THE WEEK

Opisthobranch of the Week Data

Taxonomy:

        Anteaeolidiella indica was previously included in the genus Aeolidiella but it has more recently [Miller, 2001] been placed in the monotypic genus Anteaeolidiella. Previously on these pages the above featured animal was listed as Aeolidiella indica.

        Anteaeolidiella indica is considered to be very rare on Okinawa as I have collected only five individuals; the five specimens were simultaneously collected from the intertidal zone at the perimeter of a small commercial boat basin. The area was composed of strewn rock rubble amid silty sand. The specimens were found beneath two separate rocks as they were being overturned; the rocks were covered with a dense growth of a leafy green alga (Ulva sp.). One of the rocks supported two individuals while the other had three. Ova were seen in close proximity to both animal groups.

        The animal has been known under many names, many of which were synonymized by Gosliner & Griffiths (1981) including Aeolidiella takanosimensis (Baba, 1930).

Literature Cited: