• Aplysiidae Lamarck, 1809.

  Type genus:

   Aplysia Linnaeus, 1767.

Introduction

Shell internal or absent. Temperate Australian species all have narrower head end, bulbous visceral mass posteriorly, smooth, tuberculate or papillate bodies, and discharge pigmented repugnant fluids upon disturbance or handling. Compiled from Burn (in press).

The central NSW coast is possibly the most speciose region for aplysiids globally (Nimbs et al 2017)

General References

Beesley, P.L., Ross, G.J.B. & Wells, A. (eds) 1998. Mollusca: The Southern Synthesis. Fauna of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing Vol. 5(Part B) pp. vi–viii, 565–1234. [976]

Burn, R. 2006. A checklist and bibliography of the Opisthobranchia (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Victoria and the Bass Strait area, south-eastern Australia. Museum Victoria Science Report 10: 1-42

Nimbs, M.J., Willan R.C. & Smith S.D.A. 2017b. A Historical Summary of the Distribution and Diet of Australian Sea Hares (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia: Aplysiidae). Zoological Studies 56: 35

History of changes

• Aplysia Linnaeus, C. 1767. Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae Editio duodecimia reformata. [1072].

  Type species:

   Aplysia depilans Gmelin, 1791 by original designation.
• Varria Eales, N.B. 1960. Revision of the world species of Aplysia (Gastropoda, Opisthobranchia). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology 5(10): 268–404 [271] (as a subgenus of Aplysia Linnaeus, 1767).

  Type species:

   Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828 by original designation.

Introduction

Three potentially undescribed species are reported in the literature: Aplysia cf. extraordinaria of Wells and Bryce (1993: 46), Aplysia cf. reticulata of Wells and Bryce (1993: 46) and Aplysia cf. sowerbyi Pilsbry, 1895 of Colemann (2008: 59).

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

IMCRA

Tasmania Province (10), Lord Howe Province (14), Norfolk Island Province (21), Christmas Island Province (23), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Great Australian Bight Shelf Transition (32), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

General References

Coleman, N. 2008. Nudibranchs Encyclopedia. Queensland : Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic 416 pp.

Eales, N.B. 1960. Revision of the world species of Aplysia (Gastropoda, Opisthobranchia). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology 5(10): 268–404

Wells, F.E. & Bryce, C.W. 1993. Sea Slugs of Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 184 pp.

History of changes

• Aplysia parvula Guilding in Mörch, O.A.L. 1863. Contributions à la faune malacologique des Antilles danoises. Journal de Conchyliologie 3 11: 21-43 [22].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, St Thomas, West Indies.
• Aplysia norfolkensis Sowerby, G.B. II 1869. Monograph of the genus Aplysia. pls 1-10 in Reeve, L. (ed.). Conchologia Iconica. London : L. Reeve Vol. 17 pls 1-10 (plates only). [pl. 10 species 42].

  Type data:

   Holotype Specimen lost (Specimen probably lost, it was not found at the Natural History Museum, UK), Norfolk Island, Australia.
• Aplysia australiana Clessin, S. 1899. Die Familie der Aplysiidae. In: Küster HC, Kobelt W, eds. Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet von Martini und Chemnitz. Nürnberg : Bauer & Kaspe Vol. 1(8) pp. 1–58.

  Type data:

   Holotype Specimen lost (Specimen probably lost, not found at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (ZMB)), Only listed as Australia.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Marshall, J.G. & Willan, R.C. 1999. Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. Leiden : Backhuys 257 pp. (synonyms follow this publication)
• Nimbs, M.J., Willan, R.C. & Smith, S.D.A. 2017a. Is Port Stephens, eastern Australia, a global hotspot for biodiversity of Aplysiidae (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia)? Molluscan Research 37(1): 45-65 [52, Fig. 2F]

Introduction

A recent study conducted by Golestani et al. (2019) revealed that Aplysia parvula represented a complex of species, with the name subsequently restricted to specimens from the Atlantic. Specimens from the western Pacific were assigned the name Aplysia atromarginata (as it was the most appropriate name available). Notably, specimens from the south-west Pacific were not genetically analysed and further work is required to determine their true identity; these specimens have been referred to as Aplysia aff. parvula (See Nimbs et al. 2020).

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Circum-global tropical and temperate seas: 0-50 m. Nimbs et al (2017) consider the species to occur on the NSW coast from Hastings Point to Black Head, near Nadgee. Australian distribution modified following maps presented in Nimbs et al. (2017) Zoological Studies 56.

IMCRA

Lord Howe Province (14), Norfolk Island Province (21), Christmas Island Province (23), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Great Australian Bight Shelf Transition (32), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Marine.

General References

Burn, R. 2006. A checklist and bibliography of the Opisthobranchia (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Victoria and the Bass Strait area, south-eastern Australia. Museum Victoria Science Report 10: 1-42

Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life, the plants and animals of temperate waters. Kew, Victoria, Australia : Reed Books 544 pp. [272] (photo)

Golestani, H., Crocetta, F., Padula, V., Camacho-García, Y., Langeneck, J., Poursanidis, D., Pola, M., Baki yokeş, M., Cervera, J.L., Jung, D-W., Gosliner, T.M., Araya, J.F., Hooker, Y., Schrödl, M. & Valdés, Á. 2019. The little Aplysia coming of age: from one species to a complex of species complexes in Aplysia parvula (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Heterobranchia). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 187(2): 279–330

Marshall, J.G. & Willan, R.C. 1999. Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. Leiden : Backhuys 257 pp. [27-28]

Nimbs, M.J., Hutton, I., Davis, T.R., Larkin, M.F. & Smith, S.D.A. 2020. The heterobranch sea slugs of Lord Howe Island, NSW, Australia (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 132: 12–41

Wells, F.E. & Bryce, C.W. 1993. Sea Slugs of Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 184 pp. [43, 44] (photo: species 38)

History of changes

• Aplysia argus Rüppell E. & Leuckart F.S. 1828 [1828-1830]. Mollusca [in] Atlas zu des Reise im Nordlichen Afrika von Eduard Rüppell. 1. Abth. Zoologie. 5. Neue wirbellose Thiere des Rothen Meers. Frankfurt : H.L. Brönner pp. 1-22, pl. 1-12 [1828], pp. 23-47 [probably 1830]. [23, Plate 7, Figure 1].
• Aplysia angasi Sowerby, G.B. II 1869. Monograph of the genus Aplysia. pls 1-10 in Reeve, L. (ed.). Conchologia Iconica. London : L. Reeve Vol. 17 pls 1-10 (plates only).

  Type data:

   Status unknown, Details not provided, Port Jackson, New South Wales, Australia.
• Aplysia annulifera Thiele, J. 1930. Gastropoda und Bivalvia. pp. 561-596, 1 pl. (pl. 4) in Michaelsen, W. & Hartmeyer, R. Die Fauna Südwest-Australiens. Ergebnisse der Hamburger südwest-australischen Forschungsreise 1905 herausgegeben von Prof. Dr. W. Michaelson und Prof. Dr. R. Hartmeyer. Jena : Gustav Fischer Vol. 5(8).

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Nimbs, M.J., Willan, R.C. & Smith, S.D.A. 2017a. Is Port Stephens, eastern Australia, a global hotspot for biodiversity of Aplysiidae (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia)? Molluscan Research 37(1): 45-65 [49, Fig. 2A]

Introduction

Genetic and morphological analyses conducted by Alexander & Valdés (2013) revealed that Caribbean specimens of Aplysia dactylomela were distinct from specimens from the Indo-Pacific reported as the same species. As the name A. dactylomela was proposed for Atlantic specimens, Aplysia argus (as the oldest available name) was reinstated for Indo-Pacific specimens previously identified as A. dactylomela.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Distribution modified following maps presented in Nimbs et al. (2017b)

IMCRA

Tasmania Province (10), Lord Howe Province (14), Norfolk Island Province (21), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Great Australian Bight Shelf Transition (32), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Distribution References

General References

Alexander, J. & Valdés, Á. 2013. The ring doesn't mean a thing: Molecular data suggest a new taxonomy for two Pacific species of sea hares (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia, Aplysiidae). Pacific Science 67(2): 283–294

Nimbs, M.J., Hutton, I., Davis, T.R., Larkin, M.F. & Smith, S.D.A. 2020. The heterobranch sea slugs of Lord Howe Island, NSW, Australia (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 132: 12–41 [14]

History of changes