Sagaminopteron nigropunctatum Carlson & Hoff, 1973
12mm

Sagaminopteron nigropunctatum is known from Guam, the northern Marianas, Palau, and the Philippines, but the Marshall Islands represents an extension of the known range of this species eastward. These two specimens were found by Christina Sylvester in one of the Kwajalein reef quarries. The larger measured about 12mm in a somewhat contracted state. They were on a sponge we have seen figured as Dysidea granulosa, the same sponge usually eaten by the nudibranch Miamira sinuata.

This is the sponge prey, Dysidea granulosa.

Our first specimen of this tiny gastropterid was found on 9 June 2008 at a depth of 8m on an algae-covered rock on the top of the western seaward reef of Kwajalein Atoll. It measured about 4 mm when stretched out. The photos were taken with a rather low resolution digital microscope.

Created 23 June 2008
Updated 1 February 2018

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