This black Tubulophilinopsis(?) is similar in coloration to the nearly all black Chelidonura cf sandrana, but has equal-sized tail lobes more like Philinopsis. It is similar to an all black specimen figured as Philinopsis sp. 3 in Gosliner et al (2008). We see these with some regularity in lagoon Halimeda patches at depths of 7 to 12m in Kwajalein Atoll. They release an orange fluid when disturbed. Traces of this fluid are seen at the left side of the second photo and right side of the third. This orange fluid is more typical of species of Chelidonura, so it could be that Chelidonura cf sandrana simply has a variable posterior morphology and they may all be the same species.
Created 20 September 2008
Updated 20 February 2009