Hypselodoris cf. kanga Rudman, 1977

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. kanga Rudman, 1977 Figure 11B

Material examined.

One specimen 40 mm, TW; two specimens 10-25 mm, SB.

Ecology.

Locally found exclusively from deeper soft sediment habitats of the island. Depth 14-25 m.

Distribution.

Misidentified by Chavanich et al. (2013) as H. kanga , with a recorded distribution in both Andaman Sea and Gulf coasts of Thailand.

Remarks.

Hypselodoris kanga bears blueish purple lines across its dorsum which are absent in this species, instead replaced by deep blue, almost black spots. These are more abundant towards the margin where they diffuse outwards turning into blue streaks closer to the edge. Given the historic confusion surrounding H. kanga (see Epstein et al. 2018), this difference in colouration merits the need for a closer investigation.

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).