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7369-1.jpg (712766 bytes)

 

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Dolabella auricularia (Lightfoot, 1786)

Description: Shell internal, calcareous, moderately thick, initially coiled, them expanded and flattened. Dorsal surface with brown perioAkeridae platestracum, ventral surface white, polished.

Size: Extended animal up to 500 mm in length. Shell up to 71mm in maximum dimension.

Distribution: Tropical Indo-West Pacific, Galapagos Islands, tropical East Pacific (Gosliner et al., 2015). In eastern Australia as far south as Sydney.

Habitat: "During the day it is found under coral heads or stones, and emerges at night to forage; to 15 m depth." (Gosliner et al., 2015). This is at odds with the Sea Slug Forum which says "It is normally found in sheltered bays or lagoons, in grass beds or on sand or mud".

Remarks: The Sea Slug Forum has more information and images of this species at http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/dolaauri

Figs. 1, 2: Sydney, Port Jackson (C.107924)

 

Copyright Des Beechey 2018