Misidentification (but good photos) in published field guides ²

Cumanotus fernaldi is one of two Cumanotus species in California - the other is still undescribed.

1) Behrens and Hermosillo, Eastern Pacific Nudibranchs (2005 and 1991).
According to Jeff Goddard, a photo of Cumanotus fernaldi is found in Behrens and Hermosillo, Eastern Pacific Nudibranchs (2005), Species #245, erroneously identified as Cumanotus sp. 1. Species #244 is actually the undescribed species. An earlier edition of this book (1991) misidentified it as Flabellina sp 1.

2) Lamb and Hanby, Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest (2005). Species MC357 on p. 269 "Burrowing Aeolid, Cumanotus sp 1" is actually Cumanotus fernaldi.

Another morphologically similar species, C. beaumonti, is not in California; it's an Atlantic species. Earlier papers often refer to C. fernaldi as C. beaumonti.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Craig Hoover, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Craig Hoover
2. (c) Robin Gwen Agarwal, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• CalPhotos
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SeaLifeBase
• World Register of Marine Species

iNat Map