OKINAWAN
OPISTHOBRANCH OF THE WEEK
Ascobulla japonica (Hamatani,1969)8mm(shell)
Photo by Atsushi Ono
Opisthobranch of the Week Data
Taxonomy:
- Order: SACOGLOSSA
- Family: Volvatellidae
Frequency on Okinawa:
Collection Data:
- Individual Collection No: Atsushi Ono #O-706
- Location: Zamami Island, Kerama Islands, Okinawa
- Date: 20 May, 2003 [only a single collected specimen]
- Depth: 33ft (10m)
- Water temperature at collection depth: ca. 77oF (ca. 25oC)
- Size: TL 8mm(shell) [only a single collected specimen]
- Specimen deposited: Kominato Marine Laboratory, Marine Biosystems Research Center, Chiba University, Japan
[brackets indicate range for all Okinawa-collected specimens of the species]
Species Account:
Ascobulla japonica is considered to be very rare in Okinawan waters; I've not personally seen this attractive little volvatellid here in the waters of Okinawa's main island and Atsushi mentions (pers. comm.) seeing only the above single individual in the Keramas.* Atsushi mentions the animal had burrowed approximately 3cm into the sand and was found associated with a runner of Caulerpa serrulata (var. serrulata, f. lata).
This same animal is seen in Atsushi Ono's recent book (2004, p. 44).
Literature Cited:
- Ono, Atsushi. 2004. Opisthobranchs of Ryukyu Islands, Rutles, Inc., Tokyo, Japan. 304pp.
* 
Keramas = the Kerama Islands Group, located 30 ~ 40 kilometers west of the Okinawa capitol, Naha.
Page Date: 22 Nov '04
Page Modification Date: 22 Nov '04
Digitally manipulated photo (image has been horizontally flipped)
Copyright © 2004 Robert F. Bolland
