OKINAWAN
OPISTHOBRANCH OF THE WEEK

Opisthobranch of the Week Data

Taxonomy:

        Pleurobranchus peroni, like other members of the order, have a plume-like gill on the right side of the body which is located between the mantle and the foot. This feature gives the group its common name of "side-gilled sea slugs". The following three Pleurobranchus species are currently known from the waters of Okinawa's main island:

        Pleurobranchus peroni is considered to be rare on Okinawa; I've collected ten individuals, with the first one being collected in late March, 1987. Several others have been seen and photographed, but not collected. There was a great deal of color variation present in the ten collected animals. The observed colors were peach, red, orange, and a mottled brown; all quite attractive. The featured animal was found in an area of mixed sand and coral rubble during a mid-morning SCUBA excursion. It was collected from beneath a slab of dead stony coral as rubble was being overturned.