Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

A new distribution record for Chelidonura livida Yonow, 1994 from Gujarat coast, India with insights into its burrowing behaviour, feeding habits, and reproductive strategies

Volume 66 Issue 2

S. S. Nanda and Shivani Patel

doi:10.6024/jmbai.2024.66.2.2477-15

Abstract

Chelidonura livida, commonly known as the blue velvet headshield slug, is a sea slug within the family Aglajidae of the phylum Mollusca.This species was first described by Yonow in 1994 from the Red Sea coast of Israel. It exhibits a wide distribution, ranging from Africa to the Indo-Pacific region, extending to the coasts of Japan. This study documents the first occurrence of C. livida from the Gujarat coast of India where the specimens were observed at dusk, moving through sand flats adjacent to a Halophila decipiens seagrass bed off the coast
of Mithapur. This report provides a detailed morphological description of C. livida and offers comprehensive insights into its ecology. Observations include the species’ burrowing behaviour, feeding habits, prey preferences, and reproductive strategies. The addition of this
species elevates the total count of sea slug species in Gujarat to 97.

Keywords

Velvet headshield slug, Gastropoda, Aglajidae, Gulf of Kutch, Arabian Sea

Date : 28-11-2024