Yet another sea slug/nudi hitchhiker

[The Escaped Ape]

Well, after the discovery of a Thuridilla flavomaculata in the tank, which is already about twice the size it was when I first saw it and turning slowly green (it's an algae eater that eventually can draw nutrition from the living chloroplasts it ingests, if I'm understanding correctly - how cool is that?), it looks like I have another sea slug or nudibranch to ID.

Again, this came in with live rock raised in Okinawa (aquacultured rock). It appears to be feeding on algae on the glass of the tank in these photos, but I couldn't be 100% sure that's what's happening. Any ideas? I've tried searching again, but haven't turned up a possible ID yet...

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab238/TheEscapedApe/Long%20awaited/P1010634.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab238/TheEscapedApe/Long%20awaited/P1010633.jpg

[The Escaped Ape]

Based on some hours surfing ID sites, I'm leaning towards Aplysia parvula as an ID. Given the rhinophores, that led me to it being a possible Sea Hare species and a chance discovery of a photo on The Sea Slug Forum (now unfortunately not active), which looked a lot like mine, that's what I've narrowed it down to.

Confirmation/correction from an expert would be appreciated!

I'm going to try and load some more photos as well. Might take me a while, as my camera is playing up though...

[The Escaped Ape]

Not much of an improvement, but they might help a little...

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab238/TheEscapedApe/Long%20awaited/P1010639.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab238/TheEscapedApe/Long%20awaited/P1010637.jpg

[greenbean36191]

Yep, you're right again. Great work coming up with the IDs yourself. With so many species of slugs it can be pretty tough trying to figure out what you have if you aren't familiar with the groups and what characteristics are diagnostic.

[The Escaped Ape]

Many thanks! I don't mind putting in some leg work to try and come up with an answer myself. It helps that the time difference means that when I'm asking, most people Stateside are asleep, which means I have plenty of time to browse the internet and look for clues. Plus it's actually quite fun and satisfying to know you've got it right in the end!

Oh, and a lot of it comes down to knowing where the rock came from and a healthy dose of pot luck when looking at pictures on various ID sites!

Thank you for the confirmation though - it's a huge help. :)

[LeslieH]

You got it! :beer:

[The Escaped Ape]

Thanks Leslie! Much appreciated. He's back in the tank now. I can't believe how lucky I've been with this lot of live rock. There's been plenty to look at while I'm waiting to add the first coral. :)

[Elysia]

I am so incredibly envious of your live rock (and your willingness to ID critters before sentencing the poor things to death.) What is wrong w/ the slug forum? (It isn't this type of forum, just FYI.) That is one of my most favorite internet sites -- must go check it out.

[LeslieH]

The Australian Museum shut it down as an active forum. They're letting it stay up as an reference site.

[The Escaped Ape]

I am so incredibly envious of your live rock (and your willingness to ID critters before sentencing the poor things to death.) What is wrong w/ the slug forum? (It isn't this type of forum, just FYI.) That is one of my most favorite internet sites -- must go check it out.

I am very happy as well, particularly as the first shipment I got appeared to have no life on it when it arrived. It was from the Okinawa Aquarium which used to have the best stuff, fished right out of the ocean, but now I think must be selling old stock, as the taking of natural live rock has been banned in Japanese waters. Nonetheless, I've since noticed a coral hitchhiker appear (too early to say what it is).

The sea slugs came in with a couple of lovely pieces of aquacultured live rock from a business run by the Ishigaki Island Fishing Cooperative. They make some lovely pieces, put it in high flow areas of the sea and only pull it up again a matter of years later. It's pricey, though you get what you pay for in terms of quality and service (each piece bubble-wrapped and shipped in natural sea water). I was very worried each time I saw a new hitchhiker, with the typical concern that it was going to eat coral/other inhabitants, but lucky enough that I was just setting up the tank, so no coral as yet to be at risk, so I had the time to ID.

I echo what you say about the Sea Slug Forum. It looks like an excellent resource. Hopefully they can find someone else to sponsor their hosting.

Very helpful that it's still there as a source of info though.