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
Thecacera sp.
Figure 16J
Material examined.
Two specimens
6-16 mm
, SB; one specimen
12 mm
, KKR.
Ecology.
Exclusively recorded from soft sediment habitats beyond the fringing coral reef where it feeds on
Bugulidae
spp. arborescent bryozoans. Depth 12-25 m.
Distribution.
Similar species are known from Mozambique (
Tibirica
et al. 2017
), Maldives (
Yonow 1994
), Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan (
Gosliner et al. 2008
).
Remarks.
While similar to
Thecacera cf. picta
Baba, 1972 from Mozambique (
Tibirica
et al. 2017
) our preliminary investigations indicate that this species is distinct from both
Thecacera picta
Baba, 1972,
Thecacera vittata
Yonow, 1994, and the supposedly pan-tropical/sub-tropical species
Thecacera pennigera
(Montagu, 1813) which was incorrectly documented from Koh Tao by
Mehrotra and Scott (2016)
. This species is also distinct from
Thecacera pennigera
previously recorded from both Andaman and Gulf waters of Thailand by
Chavanich et al. (2013)
.