Cuthona sp. e498

This unidentified eolid was small at 6mm long and the photos are unfortunately very fuzzy. The single specimen was found at Kwajalein Atoll in the windward seaward reef groove and spur system, exposed on an algae-covered wall at a depth of 3m. Because of the poor quality of the photos, a written description taken under magnification is provided below.

The body is light yellow with a faintly bluish patch in front of and behind rhinophores, and between first two cerata rows. Within the bluish patches are brighter yellow markings, a V shaped one in the patch behind the rhinophores with the tops of the V just posterior to each rhinophore and the base of the V between the inside edges of the first cerata group. There is more bright yellow around the anterior end of the animal and extending out on the cephalic tentacles. A single dorsal orange-red dot is in the center of the front of the body, just back from the anterior margin, within the yellow patch around the anterior end. Rhinophores are close set, tall, conical, smooth, about as long as the cephalic tentacles. They are translucent yellow at the base, then with a wide orange-red band, and with the upper half mostly white. Cerata are mostly light yellow, each with a single orange-red dot about 2/3rds of the way up. The cerata are relatively crowded along the body, making it difficult to count rows. The orange-red dot on each cera is the most distinctive feature.

Seaslugs of Hawaii has a better photo of what has to be this same species as Cuthona sp. 2.

Created 30 December 2007
Updated 24 December 2008