Hypselodoris cf. lacuna Gosliner & Johnson, 2018

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

* Hypselodoris cf. lacuna Gosliner & Johnson, 2018 Figure 11D

Material examined.

One specimen 10 mm, CB.

Ecology.

Observed under dead fungiid coral skeletons and on rocks in shallow coral reef. Depth 5 m.

Distribution.

Hypselodoris lacuna is known from the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Aldabra Atoll ( Gosliner et al. 2008). Here representing a first record for Thai waters is a similar species.

Remarks.

Dorsum centrally translucent grey with a network of opaque white lines. Gills grey with light grey apices, rhinophore stalks translucent, clubs white basally turning red with white tips. Mantle edge pale yellow areas with alternating blue spots. Differentiated from H. lacuna by having a mostly translucent grey dorsal surface rather than just isolated circles and by the pale yellow areas between the marginal ring of blue spots. Similar to Hypselodoris sp. 8 in Gosliner et al. (2018).

Figures

Figure 11. A Hypselodoris cf. juniperae 6 mm B Hypselodoris cf. kanga 40 mm C Hypselodoris katherinae 15 mm D Hypselodoris cf. lacuna 10 mm E, F Hypselodoris cf. maritima 20 mm (E) and 25 mm (F) G Hypselodoris tryoni, right specimen 35 mm (photograph by Kirsty Magson) H Mexichromis mariei 15 mm (photograph by Pau Urgell Plaza) I Mexichromis multituberculata 30 mm (photograph by Pau Urgell Plaza) J Mexichromis trilineata 8 mm K Verconia cf. hongkongiensis 6 mm L Asteronotus cespitosus 120 mm (photograph by Emily Palmer).