Verconia simplex (Pease, 1871)

Verconia simplex was sporadically very common at Enewetak Atoll and several specimens have been found at Kwajalein. Most specimens were observed on lagoon interisland reefs under dead coral or aluminum debris blown into the water after typhoon Pamela in 1982. Fifteen measured animals ranged from 5 to 13mm in length. Similar to V. decussata, V. simplex externally differs in that the rhinophore and gill coloration is restricted to the tips, while in V. decussata most of the rhinophore is red and there is red veining on the inner surface of the gills. The one below has an unusually large number of orange dots on its body. Verconia simplex was first reported in the Marshalls from Enewetak Atoll as Hypselodoris kayae by Young (1967).

The animals are usually found on their prey pink sponge. Color of the body varies from white to pink and there is a usually interrupted orange-red margin to the body.

The photo below shows how the body color can vary. Here four cluster together to munch on the pink sponge.

Burrowing through the food: a glutton's paradise!

The spiral at left is an egg mass.

The specimen below certainly looks like N. simplex, but it was eating a yellow sponge, which is very unusual for this species. Possibly the identification is not correct.

These two individuals are polishing off the last of a small colony of pink sponge.

Another burrowing into its prey sponge.

Created 19 December 2005
Updated 22 July 2020

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