Verconia cf. hongkongiensis (Rudman, 1990)

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

* Verconia cf. hongkongiensis (Rudman, 1990) Figure 11K

Material examined.

One specimen 6 mm, CB; one specimen 4 mm, TW.

Ecology.

Observed under dead fungiid coral skeleton and rubble in shallow coral reef. Depth 3-8 m.

Distribution.

Verconia hongkongiensis is known from Japan and Hong Kong ( Gosliner et al. 2008, 2018). The present Verconia cf. hongkongiensis is a first record for Thai waters.

Remarks.

Initially recorded as Hypselodoris bullockii (Collingwood, 1881) from a single small specimen by Mehrotra and Scott (2016), further observations have concluded that the species from Koh Tao is not H. bullockii but one superficially resembling Verconia hongkongiensis ( Rudman 1990). Similarities between the two species are the thin marginal white line and pale variations in colour of the dorsum. However, rather than reddish tips, gills appear to be uniformly red (more orange in some specimens) and rhinophores appear pigmented throughout, basally red, sometimes with a paler median band, ending in red/orange tips, with all individuals recorded from Koh Tao being smaller than 6 mm.

Figures

Figure 11. A Hypselodoris cf. juniperae 6 mm B Hypselodoris cf. kanga 40 mm C Hypselodoris katherinae 15 mm D Hypselodoris cf. lacuna 10 mm E, F Hypselodoris cf. maritima 20 mm (E) and 25 mm (F) G Hypselodoris tryoni, right specimen 35 mm (photograph by Kirsty Magson) H Mexichromis mariei 15 mm (photograph by Pau Urgell Plaza) I Mexichromis multituberculata 30 mm (photograph by Pau Urgell Plaza) J Mexichromis trilineata 8 mm K Verconia cf. hongkongiensis 6 mm L Asteronotus cespitosus 120 mm (photograph by Emily Palmer).