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Additional Photos
top
oral hood
rhinophore detail
swimming
regenerating
with eggs
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Melibe pilosa Pease, 1860
Maximum size: 120 mm (Kay,
1979).
Identification:
This is a large species with broad, wedge-shaped cerata. It's translucent-cream flecked with opaque cream and brown. Both the
body and cerata are finely papillate. The oral hood is large and the
rhinophores small.
Natural history: Melibe pilosa is a rare species on Maui where we've only seen a few animals including three found
under rocks in moderately protected to moderately exposed sites at
depths of 3-8 m (10-26 ft) and one found in a Halimeda kanalona bed at about 15 m (50 ft). However, Kay (1979) lists it as common
on shallow fringing reefs on Oahu where it can be found among algae
from the low intertidal to 1.5 m (4 ft). It probably feeds primarily at
night
and lays a white, folded egg mass. Like many Melibe spp., it can swim by lateral flexing.
Distribution:
Big Island, Maui and Oahu: also known from Easter Island.
Taxonomic notes: It's referred to as the "throw-net nudibranch" in Hoover, 1998 &
2006 and was first reported from Hawaii in Pease, 1860. It's listed as Melibe sp. in Edmondson, 1946.
Photo: PF: Airport Beach, Maui; April 21, 2013.
Observations and comments:
Note
1: ( )
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