An updated inventory of sea slugs from Koh Tao, Thailand, with notes on their ecology and a dramatic biodiversity increase for Thai waters
Author
Mehrotra, Rahul
Reef Biology Research Group. Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand & Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Koh Mun Nai, Kram, Klaeng District, Rayong 21110, Thailand
Author
A. Caballer Gutierrez, Manuel
American University of Paris, Department of Computer Science Math and Environmental Science, 6 rue du Colonel Combes, 75007 Paris, France & Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, 55 rue de Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
Author
M. Scott, Chad
Conservation Diver. 7321 Timber Trail Road, Evergreen, Colorado, 80439, USA
Author
Arnold, Spencer
Conservation Diver. 7321 Timber Trail Road, Evergreen, Colorado, 80439, USA
Author
Monchanin, Coline
Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Koh Mun Nai, Kram, Klaeng District, Rayong 21110, Thailand & Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI); CNRS, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III, France
Author
Viyakarn, Voranop
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2089-6356
Reef Biology Research Group. Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Author
Chavanich, Suchana
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6266-7300
Reef Biology Research Group. Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand & Center of Excellence for Marine Biotechnology, Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
suchana.c@chula.ac.th
text
ZooKeys
2021
2021-06-09
1042
73
188
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1042.64474
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1042.64474
1313-2970-1042-73
9CF986D86A474E179A67245C78FB8AFD
1BB0A10A35DD5541850FDAFFDB7119C2
*
Myja cf. longicornis Bergh, 1896
Figure 18A
Material examined.
One specimen GR,
9 mm
.
Ecology.
Found exclusively on its prey hydroid
Pennaria disticha
(Goldfuss, 1820) uncommonly found in both coral reef and deeper soft sediment habitats. Depth 8-25 m.
Distribution.
Myja longicornis
is known from Indonesia (
Bergh 1896
), Australia (
Nimbs and Smith 2016
), Japan, and Papua New Guinea (
Gosliner et al. 2008
). A similar species
Myja cf. longicornis
was recently documented from the Gulf of Thailand (
Martynov et al. 2019
).
Remarks.
This genus was recently reviewed and expanded based on specimens from Japan and the Gulf of Thailand (
Martynov et al. 2019
). In that study, authors concluded that the studied specimens from the Gulf of Thailand have a close resemblance to the description of
M. longicornis
by Bergh, with some internal and external differences that would require examination of specimens from the type locality of Ambon. The single specimen found at Koh Tao closely resembles other specimens found in the Gulf of Thailand, and thus its species designation remains unresolved in the absence of contemporary studies of the genus from closer to the type locality.
Figure 18.
A
Myja cf. longicornis
9 mm (photograph by Phannee Mccarthy)
B, C
Noumeaella
sp. 1 5 mm
D, E
Noumeaella
sp. 2 5 mm (photographs by Tony Myshlyaev)
F
Phidiana militaris
35 mm (photograph by Pau Urgell Plaza)
G
Phidiana
sp. 7 mm
H
Phyllodesmium magnum
30 mm
I
Phyllodesmium cf. magnum
35 mm (photograph by Pau Urgell Plaza)
J
Phyllodesmium opalescens
35 mm, (photograph by Guillaume Gandoin)
K
Phyllodesmium
sp. 55 mm (photograph by Pau Urgell Plaza)
L
Armina occulta
65 mm.