Cuthona cf. kanga ( Edmunds, 1970 )

Tibiriçá, Yara, Pola, Marta & Cervera, Juan Lucas, 2017, Astonishing diversity revealed: an annotated and illustrated inventory of Nudipleura (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) from Mozambique, Zootaxa 4359 (1), pp. 1-133 : 99

Cuthona cf. kanga ( Edmunds, 1970)

( Figures 31 A–B )

Material examined. Four specimens. MB28-004622, ZDRS, 23 Sep. 2012, 30m, 4mm; MHN-YT1522, ZRP, 0 6 May 2015, 0.3m, 12mm. MB28-004997 & MB28-004999, ZRP, 0 6 May 2015, 0.3m, 10mm.

Habitats. Subtropical tidal reefs and rocky reefs, often on hydroids.

Occurrences. Zavora.

Geographic distribution. Indo-west Pacific. Australia, Indonesia ( Debelius 1996), Tanzania ( Edmunds 1970), South Africa ( Debelius 1996) and Mozambique.

Remarks. Cuthona kanga was described based on material from Tanzania ( Edmunds 1970). In Edmunds’ (1970) description the species has a bluish-white band across the head, the oral tentacles are gold or orange-yellow at the base and whitish-cream posteriorly. In the specimens examined by us the colour of the oral tentacle, rhinophores and cerata varied. Two morphotypes were collected together indicating that they are likely to belong to the same species ( Fig. 31 A–B ). However, in Gosliner et al. (2015) they are cited as different species. Thus, additional integrative analyses are needed to clarify if C. kanga is a highly variable species or if it represents a species complex.

Figures

FIGURE 31. A–B, Cuthona kanga (MB28-004999 and MHN-YT1522, respectively). C, Cuthona sp. 1 (MB28-004601). D, Cuthona sp. 2 (MB28-004844). E, Cuthona sp. 3 (MB28-004935). F, Cuthona sp. 4 (MB28-005048). G, Eubranchus sp. 1 (MB28-004595).H, Eubranchus sp.2 (MB28-005090).I, Fiona pinnata (MB28-004484).J, Tenellia acinosa (MB28-004776). K, Tenellia lugubris(MB28-004893). L, Tenellia melanobrachia (MB28-004945).