nudibranch

[Bitty]

We bought a sea mat and attached to it was a nudibranch. We have looked on the internet and are unable to identify this type and we need to know if this is one of the species that will eat corals. Can anyone help us? Thank you very much.

 

[Anonymous]

Impossible to say from that picture. We need a much clearer picture.
If I were to guess at the moment though I would say possibly Genus: Umbraculum. Species: spp.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Bitty]

Thank you, Dave for getting back to us so quickly. Here's another picture. Hope it is a little clearer. This guy likes to hide during the day and come out at night. So it is hard to get a picture of him. Any help is appreciated.

 

[John_Brandt]

Bitty, you are probably going to need a nudibranch expert to identify that. It is almost certainly not Umbraculum, as those have a calcareous shell cover. It is probably predatory, so prepare yourself for that. You might try looking for it in the middle of the night to see if it is feeding on any of your animals. Watch it closely around colonial anemones or your "sea mat".

Try engaging the experts over at http://www.seaslug.com, they may be able to tell you more about it.

 

[Anonymous]

It does look like an Umbraculum minus the shell...I wonder if Opisthobranchs ever lose their shell?

 

[John_Brandt]

It does look like an Umbraculum minus the shell.

But for that one the gill is in the wrong place, as well as "missing" the shell.

 

[Bitty]

thank you for advice. we have quarintined him for now until i can figure out weather or not he will eat my animals. i have emailed someone over at seaslug.com but haven't received an answer yet. Does anyone know if they are poisonous as we do have another tank with fish only in it????? We can put him in there. He is actually quite interesting and would hate to have to dispose of him. once again thank you all for any advice.

 

[Anonymous]

Nudibranches are generally toxic. If she dies in a small water volume, that could be a problem. I don't think she will poison anything directly.

 

[Anonymous]

As for ID, I'd say . . .

Most likely
Order Nudibranchia, SubOrder Doridina, Family Dorididae,

Archidoris species, see, for example . . .http://www.seaslugforum.net/archwell.htm (but this species lives in an unlikely region, so not him in particular).

Or, less likely,

Order Nudibranchia, SubOrder Doridina, Family Onchidorididae,
Acantodoris species, and specifically, pilosa . . .

Or, even less likely,

Order Notaspidea, SuperFamily Pleurobranchoidea, Family Pleurobranchoidea
Pleurobranchus species

IMO, definitely not

Order Notaspidea, SuperFamily Tylodinoidea, Family Umbraculidae,
Umbraculum species[/url]