OKINAWAN
OPISTHOBRANCH OF THE WEEK
Moridilla brockii Bergh, 1888 (23mm)
Opisthobranch of the Week Data
Taxonomy:
- Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
- Suborder: Aeolidina
- Family: Facelinidae
Frequency on Okinawa:
Collection Data:
- Individual Collection No: RFB #2506-B
- Location: Seragaki, Okinawa (26o 30.4'N, 127o 52.6'E)
[all 3 collected specimens from Seragaki]
- Date: 25 March, 1991 [25 Mar '91, 6 Jun '91, 31 Dec 92]
- Depth: 5ft (1.5m) [5ft, 10ft, 10ft]
- Water temperature at collection depth: Not recorded
- Size: TL 23mm [10mm, 20mm, 23mm]
- Specimen deposited: California Academy of Sciences
[brackets indicate range for all Okinawa-collected specimens of the species]
Species Account:
Moridilla brockii is considered to be very rare on Okinawa as I have seen and collected a total of only three individuals over a period of a good many years of diving here.
The featured animal was collected from an area of mixed sand & coral rubble; it was discovered on the lower surface of a slab of rubble as it was being overturned. As the animal was touched, the cerata on the mid-dorsal line whipped about with a great deal of apparent vigor for approximately three seconds.
Copyright © 1999 Robert F. Bolland
Digitally manipulated photo
