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Cerberilla
nudibranch
Cerberilla asamusiensis
Family
Aeolidiidae
updated
Oct 10
Where
seen?
This tiny 'furry' nudibranch is sometimes seen on our sandy areas
on our Northern shores. It is said to be quite common but infrequently
encountered because it usually remains buried in the sand.
Features: 1-2cm long. Broad,
soft body with many long finger-like extensions (called cerata) arranged
in rows. The yellow colour in the cerata is actually in the digestive
glands. The rhinophores at the top of the head are very short compared
to the long oral tentacles (the long tentacles that stick out on the
sides like a moustache). Young nudibranchs have longer oral tentacles
relative to their body size. The foot is quite broad.
What does it eat? It is believed
to feed on sea
anemones.
Cerberilla nudibranchs produce a spiral egg mass with a long string
or thread at the end that is attached to something hard in the sand
and thus anchor the eggs in the sand. |
Pasir Ris,
Dec 08
Long oral tentacles
and short rhinophores.
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Burrowing into
the ground.
Pulau Sekudu, Jun 06
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Cerata 'bristling'
when disturbed.
Pulau Sekudu, Jun 06
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Yellow colour
is inside, and are
the digestive glands in the cerata.
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Cerberilla
nudibranchs on Singapore shores
Pasir Ris,
Dec 08

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Pasir Ris,
Dec 08

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Pulau Sekudu,
Jun 06

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Chek Jawa,
Jul 08
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Cyrene Reef,
May 11
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Chek Jawa,
Feb 02
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Photo shared by Toh Chay Hoon on her
blog.
Pulau Sekudu, Apr 09
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Links
References
- Tan Siong
Kiat and Henrietta P. M. Woo, 2010 Preliminary
Checklist of The Molluscs of Singapore (pdf), Raffles
Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore.
- Debelius,
Helmut, 2001. Nudibranchs
and Sea Snails: Indo-Pacific Field Guide
IKAN-Unterwasserachiv, Frankfurt. 321 pp.
- Coleman,
Neville. 2001. 1001
Nudibranchs: Catalogue of Indo-Pacific Sea Slugs. Neville
Coleman’s Underwater Geographic Pty Ltd, Australia.144pp.
- Coleman,
Neville, 1989. Nudibranchs
of the South Pacific Vol 1. 64 pp.
- Humann, Paul
and Ned Deloach. 2010. Reef
Creature Identification: Tropical Pacific New World Publications.
497pp.
- Gosliner,
Terrence M., David W. Behrens and Gary C. Williams. 1996. Coral
Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific: Animal life from Africa to Hawai’I
exclusive of the vertebrates
Sea Challengers. 314pp.
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