Undescribed Sakuraeolis cf. enosimensis
Taxonomy Work in Progress! 3
This locally common aeolid was originally (1972) assumed to be Sakuraeolis enosimensis, plausibly introduced from Japan via commercial shipping ballast water into the San Francisco Bay (their only location so far in California). A June 2024 DNA sequence of one specimen from Lake Merritt seems to corroborate that it is indeed Sakuraeolis enosimensis, but sequencing of more specimens is probably called for to make a firm determination.
Notable Features 3
A relatively large aeolid (to 40 mm) with a pale orange body dotted with opaque white spots. There is a broken line of opaque white spots between the rhinophores. The oral tentacles are quite long, with a broad opaque stripe. The rhinophores are simple; orange with a white tip. The cerata are long and dotted with opaque white spots and white tips. When under extreme stress, the slug's cerata can drop off and wiggle like worms, perhaps to distract a predator.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Robin Gwen Agarwal, all rights reserved, uploaded by Robin Gwen Agarwal
- (c) Robin Agarwal (ANudibranchMom on iNaturalist), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/30314434@N06/22665486350/
- Adapted by Robin Gwen Agarwal from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakuraeolis_enosimensis
More Info
iNat Map
| Color | orange, white |
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