Melibe viridis (Kelaart, 1858)

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

Melibe viridis (Kelaart, 1858) Figure 20D

Material examined.

One specimen 12 mm, TT; one specimen 122 mm, SB; one specimen 97 mm, SN.

Ecology.

Recorded from the soft sediment habitats outside the coral reef; however, individuals have rarely been observed swimming near the surface closer to shore. It is likely that these individuals were disturbed as no individuals have been recorded in shallower reef or sandy habitats after five years of survey. Depth 14-24 m.

Distribution.

Across the Indo-Pacific including Mozambique ( Tibiriçá et al. 2017), Tanzania ( Eliot 1904), the Red Sea ( Yonow 2015), India ( Parasharya and Patel 2014), Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, and Australia ( Gosliner et al. 2008). It has also recently moved into the waters of the Mediterranean ( Mastrototaro et al. 2004). Recorded from the Gulf waters of Thailand ( Mehrotra and Scott 2016).

Figures

Figure 20. A Bornella stellifera 31 mm B Lomanotus vermiformis 25 mm C Scyllaea fulva 45 mm D Melibe viridis 97 mm E Melibe sp. 22 mm F Eubranchus ocellatus 22 mm G Eubranchus sp. 7 mm H Coryphellina exoptata 15 mm (photograph by Tine Kvamme) I, J Coryphellina cf. lotos variants 40 mm (I) and 35 mm (J) K Samla bicolor 12 mm L Phestilla fuscostriata 15 mm.