Trapania miltabrancha Gosliner & Fahey, 2008

Mehrotra, Rahul, A. Caballer Gutierrez, Manuel, M. Scott, Chad, Arnold, Spencer, Monchanin, Coline, Viyakarn, Voranop & Chavanich, Suchana, 2021, An updated inventory of sea slugs from Koh Tao, Thailand, with notes on their ecology and a dramatic biodiversity increase for Thai waters, ZooKeys 1042, pp. 73-188 : 73

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1042.64474

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9CF986D8-6A47-4E17-9A67-245C78FB8AFD

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/92757309-F1A2-532C-BBFA-8BDC445B0678

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Trapania miltabrancha Gosliner & Fahey, 2008
status

 

* Trapania miltabrancha Gosliner & Fahey, 2008 View in CoL Figure 14A, B View Figure 14

Material examined.

Three specimens 8-25 mm, LB.

Ecology.

Among colonies of Didemnid tunicates in soft sediment habitats. Depth 12-15 m.

Distribution.

Known only from Indonesia ( Gosliner and Fahey 2008) and Japan ( Uyeno and Nagasawa 2012). Here representing a first record for Thai waters

Remarks.

While known to be predators of Entoprocta ( Gosliner et al. 2018), the present individuals were all found directly upon Didemnum molle tunicate colonies in soft sediment habitats. While active feeding could not be confirmed, it is of interest to note that all 12 individuals recorded were initially found crawling upon the tunicates and not upon the benthos which may indicate the presence of a prey source associated with the tunicates but feeding investigations were not carried out.