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Additional Photos
side
head
cerata & rhinophores extended
foot corner
other animals
with eggs
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Samla cf. rubropurpurata
(Gosliner & Willan, 1991)
Maximum Size: About 9 mm
(estimated from photo).
Identification:
The
body
of
this
aeolid
is
bright
violet, often
with
diffuse white patches on the
margins of the notum. The cerata are orange with diffuse white basses
and white subapical rings. The tips of the cerata are darker orange to violet. The
cephalic tentacles are tipped with
white and there are apical
and medial white bands on the perfoliate rhinophores.
Natural History:
Samla cf. rubropurpurata
appears to be a moderately rare species that is seldom seen due to its small size. It's been found crawling by day at
exposed to highly exposed rocky sites at depths of 2-18 m (8-60 ft). It probably lays a faintly pinkish, kinked egg mass.
Distribution:
Big Island, Maui, Lanai, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau: Samla rubropurpurata
is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific.
Taxonomic notes:
This
species
was
first
recorded
in
Hawaii
from
Mahaiula Beach, Big Island by Paul Okumura on
Aug. 6, 2009.
It appears similar to photos of Samla
rubropurpurata from elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific but with
enough differences in detail to suggest that it may prove endemic when
DNA is checked. Some sources use Flabellina rubropurpurata.
Photo: Dee Wescott: 3 to 6 mm: found by Allison Gordon; "aquarium," Big Island; Sept. 13, 2018.
Observations and comments:
Note
1: ( )
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