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Additional Photos

underside

side

young, 6 mm

dark

with egg masses

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Anteaeolidiella cacaotica (Stimpson, 1855)

Maximum size: 21 mm (Kay,
1979).
Identification:
This
species has closely spaced rhinophores and laterally directed cerata.
The body is translucent-orange, usually with faint white markings on the
notum. The cerata have
prominent cnidosacs in their tips and usually have irregular, white
subapical bands. The rhinophores and cephalic
tentacles usually have white tips.
Natural history: On
Maui, Anteaeolidiella cacaotica
is a moderately rare species found from the low
intertidal to a depth of 15 m (49 ft) in protected to moderately protected rocky areas and in Halimeda
kanaloana beds. However, it may be more common in the low
intertidal on Oahu (Bertsch and Johnson, 1981). It lays white spiral
egg masses composed of a
"kinked" ribbon.
Distribution:
Big Island, Maui, Oahu and Kauai: widely distributed in the Pacific.
Taxonomic notes:
This
is
the species listed as Aeolidiella takanosimensis in Bertsch &
Johnson, 1981. It's also listed as Aeolidiella takanosimiensis in Kay, 1979 and Gosliner, 1980. Some sites list it as Anteaeolidiella indica or Aeolidiella indica. It was
first recorded in Hawaii from Poipu, Kauai by Allison Kay in Jan., 1965.
Photo: Angel
Valdes: found by Angel Valdes, Dieta Hanson, Jessica Goodheart or
Jennifer Alexander; Kahului Harbor, Maui; June 20, 2011.
Observations and comments:
Note
1: ( )
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