OKINAWAN
OPISTHOBRANCH OF THE WEEK
Favorinus japonicus Baba, 1949 (15mm)
Opisthobranch of the Week Data
Taxonomy:
- Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
- Suborder: Aeolidina
- Family: Facelinidae
Frequency on Okinawa:
Collection Data:
- Individual Collection No: RFB #2193-C
- Location: Seragaki (26o 30.4'N, 127o 52.6'E) [all specimens from Seragaki]
- Date: 9 June, 1989 [9 Jun '89, 5 Aug '91, 14 Feb '92, 27 May '92(2 indiv.)]
- Depth: 10ft (3m) [5ft, 5ft, 5ft, 5ft, 10ft]
- Water temperature at collection depth: 80.1oF (27.3oC)
- Size: TL 15mm [7mm, 8mm, 9mm, 14mm, 15mm]
- Specimen deposited: RFB Personal Research Collection (different individuals of the species deposited at Cal Acad Sci)
[brackets indicate range for all Okinawa-collected specimens of the species]
Species Account:
Favorinus japonicus is considered to be rare on Okinawa as I have seen and collected a total of 5 individuals since the first one was collected on 9 June, 1989. The featured animal was found on the underlying surface of a slab of coral rubble amid fine silty-sand and coral rubble.
The three distinctive rhinophoral swellings along with the nodular cerata characterize this very attractive aeolid.
Page Date: 30 Jun '97
Page Modification Date: 08 May '00
Digitally manipulated photo
Copyright © 2000 Robert F. Bolland
