Babakina caprinsulensis, MILLER, 1974

Gosliner, Terrence M., González-Duarte, Manuel M. & Cervera, Juan Lucas, 2007, Revision of the systematics of Babakina Roller, 1973 (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia) with the description of a new species and a phylogenetic analysis, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 151 (4), pp. 671-689 : 674-675

BABAKINA CAPRINSULENSIS MILLER, 1974

( FIGS 1A , 3B )

Babakina caprinsulensis Miller, 1974: 37 , 1–2.

Distribution: This species is known from Goat Island and Poor Knights Islands, North Island, New Zealand ( Miller, 1974; Rudman, 2005a).

Morphology: All morphological characters are known from the original description of this species (Miller, 1974) and from a subsequent photo of a second specimen from New Zealand ( Rudman, 2005a).

Remarks: Miller’s (1974) original description of this species provides a complete overview of the anatomy of the species. However, the holotype does not appear to be present in the National Museum of New Zealand (B. Marshall, pers. comm.). There is one aspect of the morphology of this species that has been amended from the original description. Miller described the rhinophores of B. caprinsulensis as being papillate. The photograph of the second specimen from New Zealand ( Rudman, 2005a) clearly shows that the rhinophores actually consist of a series of incomplete lamellae and represents the only other record of this poorly known species.

Figures

Figure 1. A, Babakina festiva (Roller, 1972), living animal, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, San Mateo County California, photo by T. M. Gosliner. B, Babakina caprinsulensis Miller, 1974, living animal, Poor Knights Islands, North Island, New Zealand, photo by I. Skipworth. C, Babakina anadoni (Ortea, 1979), living animal, Algarve, Portugal, photo by Jose Augusto Silva. D, Babakina indopacifica sp. nov., living animal, Mindanao, Philippines, photo by T. M. Gosliner.

Figure 3. Reproductive anatomy. A, Babakina festiva (Roller, 1972), specimen CASIZ 069850, scale = 1.0 mm. B, Babakina caprinsulensis Miller, 1974, after Miller (1974). C, Babakina anadoni (Ortea, 1979), from Bahamian specimen, MNCN 15./46706. Scale bar = 0.3 mm. D, Babakina indopacifica sp. nov., specimen from Mindanao, Philippines. Scale bar = 0.5 mm. Abbreviations: am = ampulla, bc = bursa copulatrix, fgm = female gland mass, od = oviduct, p = penis, rs = receptaculum seminis, vd = vas deferens.