Hexabranchus sanguineus Rüppel & Leuckart, 1828

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 : 82-83

Hexabranchus sanguineus Rüppel & Leuckart, 1828

( Figure 26 H–L )

Material examined. Nine specimens. MUZSP 111017, ZA51, 13 May 2010, 12m, 15mm; MB28-004474, ZRP, 0 7 Feb. 2012, 2m, 67mm, collected by P. Velho; MB28-004509, ZRP, 21 Feb. 2012, 1m, 85mm; MB28-005009, ZA51, 12 Jun. 2015, 11m, 14mm; MB28-005033, POA, 18 Jul. 2016, 39m, 250mm; MB28-005035, POA, 16 Jul. 2014, 40m, 110mm, collected by J. Stromvoll; MB28-005037, POA, 16 Jul. 2014, 40m, 80mm; MB28-005044, NSS, 0 4 Sep. 2016, 33m, 430mm; ZMBN105585, VIAIR, 25 May 2015, 3m, 30mm.

Habitats. Subtropical seagrass, tidal reefs (juveniles), rocky reefs and tropical seagrass and coral reefs.

Occurrences. Ponta do Ouro, Zavora, Paindane, Barra, Nuarro, Pemba and Vamizi Island .

Geographic distribution. Indo-west, central Pacific. French Polynesia (Gosliner et al. 2008), Guam ( Carlson & Hoff 2003), India ( Narayanan 1968), Hawaii ( Kay & Young 1969), Christmas Island ( Rudman 1986a), Maldives, Red Sea ( Yonow 2012), Tanzania ( Edmunds 1971; Rudman 1986a), Madagascar ( Risbec 1929), Kenya, Mayotte, Réunion Island, Mauritius ( Yonow 2012), South Africa ( Gosliner 1987) and Mozambique ( Macnae & Kalk 1958; Valdés 2002b).

Remarks. This species was found in several sizes and colours. Valdés (2002b) reviewed several specimens of H. sanguineus from different locations worldwide and concluded that all the morphotypes of H. sanguineus from the Indo-Pacific belong to the same species. However, Valdés’ (2002b) review was only based on morphological characters and large specimens were not examined ( Yonow 2012). Our preliminary molecular analyses reveal that this taxon is likely to represent a complex of species. Further studies are being carried out to clarify the identity of specimens from Mozambique.

Figures

FIGURE 26. A, Gymnodoris impudica (ZMBN105086). B, Gymnodoris inornata (MB28-004799). C, Gymnodoris okinawae (MB28-004519). D, Gymnodoris sp. 1 (MB28-004867). E, Gymnodoris sp. 2 (MB28-004724). F, Gymnodoris sp. 3 (ZMBN105116). G, Gymnodoris sp. 4 (MB28-004542). H–L, Hexabranchus sanguineus (MB28-004474, MB28-005009, MB28-005044, MB28-005033 and MUZSP111017, respectively).