Verconia
sp. e363
16mm
Another
pink Verconia species, this one was originally known from two specimens
found at Enewetak Atoll. Both were on the pink sponge shown at the left side
of the photo below. They measured 16 and 9mm. The texture of the body is similar
to that of Noumea verconiforma on the Sea
Slug Forum, but that species is white in color. Gosliner et al (2018) also report our pink variety from Papua New Guinea as Verconia
sp. 4, and they feature a couple of other species with similar body texture
but different coloration.
The next two photos show both of
the Enewetak specimens. These were actually found on different days. During
its last few years of existence, the Mid-Pacific Research Lab at Enewetak Atoll
was situated at the northern, narrow end of Enewetak Island. About 100 meters
to the east of the lab building was the seaward intertidal reef flat, which
sported a large "tide pool," the quarry, which had been excavated
for aggregate to make concrete during World War II Japanese occupation of the
islands. Only about 30 or so meters to the west of the lab was the lagoon beach.
Right off the beach was a mostly flat reef of mostly rubble and rocks, with
some live coral and patches of sand, which gradually sloped out a couple hundred
meters to depths of maybe 10 meters where it finally dropped down a steeper
sandy slope to the lagoon bottom. Among the rocks and rubble near shore at depths
of 2 to 5 meters were nudibranchs. It was easy to hop in the water during the
day and spend some time looking under these rocks, and I took advantage of this
and got out there to count them several times week. On 5 September 1983, I found
the larger of these two pink nudis on pink sponge under a rock. I collected
it to examine it in the lab's flow-thru sea tables, and took it back out the
next day to take more photos. While out, I came across the smaller one, so I
was able to get photos of both together. These are the only two specimens I
have personally seen.
Under the same rock as the larger
specimen was an individual of Thorunna
halourga, at left below.
The specimen feeding on pink sponge
in the three photos below was found by Christina Sylvester on the lagoon side
of Kwajalein's north point. Christina's photos illustrate the fine lines on
the body very well.
Created 19 December 2005
Updated 3 December 2018
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