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Opisthobranch of the Week Data
Taxonomy:
Cuthona ornata is considered to be very rare on Okinawa as I have seen and collected only two specimens. Both of the collected animals of this small tergipedid were found in relatively deep waters (64m & 69m), at the same dive locale (Seragaki). In addition, both animals were found later at home in a sorting bowl used to separate several Zip-Loc bags of mixed thallophytes, hydroids and small bits of coral rubble. Wonderful small opisthobranchs, and others, are frequently found crawling about the sorting container after it is allowed to remain static for an hour or so. This is probably the only way I could have found these diminutive animals.
Both Keiu (2000, p. 150) and Ono (2004, p. 279) have photographs showing the typical color pattern of this attractive little tergipedid found in Japanese waters.
In addition to the above featured animal I've previously featured on these pages the following species of Cuthona:
C. acinosa C. diversicolor C. sibogae C. pupillae C. purpureoanulata C. yamasui C. sp. 1 C. sp. 2 C. sp. 3
Literature Cited:
