Polycera kaiserae

Photo courtesy of Webmaster
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Jan 2006

Polycera kaiserae, Hermosillo and Valdes, 2007

After a few BOW's dedicated to Indopacific species, this week we jump back to this side of the pond to introduce a new critter from the Mexican Pacific.

So far reported for Bahía de Banderas (Puerto Vallarta) and Islas Marías (the Federal Prison), this is the 7th species of Polycera known in the eastern Pacific, only one other remains undescribed (Polycera sp. in Camacho-García, et al 2006).

I found this nudibranch for the first time a couple of years ago while diving with the web master in one of his visits to Vallarta. I knew right away it was new and Mike was the first person ever to photograph and video tape it.

Angel and I dedicated this species to Kirstie Kaiser, reknown malacologist and good friend. It has the characteristic extra branchial appendages and oral veil of the genus Polycera and a distinct coloration. Polycera kaiserae is pink with white spots and has marine blue tips in tail, gill, appendages, rhinophores and oral veil. The penis is armed , meaning it is covered with spines that help the pair hold on during mating.

The paper is available for downloading in *.pdf format.

Reference :

A New Polycera (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) from Bahia de Banderas, Mexico. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Volume 58, No. 23, pp. 477-484, 3 figs.

Send Ali email at gueri25@hotmail.com

Kirstie and Pedro Medina
APRIL 2007 TRIP TO CLIPPERTON ISLAND

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