Aeolidiopsis ransoni Pruvot-Fol, 1956

Mehrotra, Rahul, A. Caballer Gutierrez, Manuel, M. Scott, Chad, Arnold, Spencer, Monchanin, Coline, Viyakarn, Voranop & Chavanich, Suchana, 2021, An updated inventory of sea slugs from Koh Tao, Thailand, with notes on their ecology and a dramatic biodiversity increase for Thai waters, ZooKeys 1042, pp. 73-188 : 73

* Aeolidiopsis ransoni Pruvot-Fol, 1956 Figure 17A, B

Material examined.

Two specimens 25-30 mm, SB; one specimen 23 mm, CB.

Ecology.

Exclusively recorded on its prey species, the zoanthid Palythoa tuberculosa (Esper, 1805), on which it is extremely cryptic. Depth 1-18 m.

Distribution.

Across the Pacific including Japan ( Ono 2004), French Polynesia ( Pruvot-Fol 1956), Hawaii ( Carmona et al. 2014a), the Philippines, Australia, and Papua New Guinea ( Gosliner et al. 2008). Here representing a first record for Thai waters.

Remarks.

Separated from Aeolidiopsis harrietae and A. palythoae (Gosliner, 1985) by the presence of smooth rhinophores and highly elongate body with between 17-23 pairs of cerata. Unlike specimens described by Carmona et al. (2014b) but similar to those described by Rudman (1982), specimens from Koh Tao have rhinophores that lack white tips.

Figures

Figure 17. A, B Aeolidiopsis ransoni 23 mm (A) and 25 mm (B) C Baeolidia salaamica 10 mm D Cerberilla ambonensis 20 mm E Cerberilla asamusiensis 8 mm (photograph by Pau Urgell Plaza) F, G Cerberilla cf. incola variants 12 mm (F) and 7 mm (G) H Cerberilla sp. 22 mm I Limenandra confusa 12 mm J Caloria indica 26 mm K Favorinus sp. 1 5 mm L Favorinus sp. 2 5 mm