Haminoeidae
Members of the family have a thinly calcified shell. All are small to very small, and herbivorous. Duirnal species are often brightly coloured.
The smallest of these have benn nick-named mini-hams. Clay Carlson (from Guam) first made the sea slug world aware of them 20 years ago and there are about 8 species presently recognised. They are all tiny yet have extraordinarily long tails many times the length of the shell. Presumably these tails are prehensile because they all live on and feed on filamentous Cyanobacteria (Lyngbya spp). Their radula is unique because the two halves are asymmetrical, instead of symmetrical like all other molluscs. At some point they may be moved to a genus of their own.
Article on Haminoea & Lamprohaminoea
Aglajidae
Shell reduced and internal. The head-shield is broad with the leading edge sporting many sensory cilia which are used for detecting prey. These can be clearly seen in the image of Chelidoneura elegans. They are all predators on a range of organisms, dependant on the species.
Colpodaspidae & Gastropteridae
Colpodaspis has a small internal shell and a long appendatge on their right side. They are all just a few millimeters long. Almost nothing is know about their biology, but they move quickly, suggesting that they may be hunters.
Gastropteron, Sagaminopteron and Siphopteron are all small to very small, colourful head-shield slugs that can swim by flapping their parapodia. This gives them the common name "Bat-winged Slugs". Some feed on sponges, while others are probably generalist feeders.
Sagaminopteon psychedelicum is most often seen by divers, Its' white/pink body is covered in large black-edged bright-orange polkadots.
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Haminoeidae
Haminoeidae
Members of the family have a thinly calcified shell. All are small to very small, and herbivorous. Duirnal species are often brightly coloured.
The smallest of these have benn nick-named mini-hams. Clay Carlson (from Guam) first made the sea slug world aware of them 20 years ago and there are about 8 species presently recognised. They are all tiny yet have extraordinarily long tails many times the length of the shell. Presumably these tails are prehensile because they all live on and feed on filamentous Cyanobacteria (Lyngbya spp). Their radula is unique because the two halves are asymmetrical, instead of symmetrical like all other molluscs. At some point they may be moved to a genus of their own.
Aglajidae
Aglajidae
Shell reduced and internal. The head-shield is broad with the leading edge sporting many sensory cilia which are used for detecting prey. These can be clearly seen in the image of Chelidoneura elegans. They are all predators on a range of organisms, dependant on the species.
Colpodaspidae & Gastropteridae
Colpodaspidae & Gastropteridae
Colpodaspis has a small internal shell and a long appendatge on their right side. They are all just a few millimeters long. Almost nothing is know about their biology, but they move quickly, suggesting that they may be hunters.
Gastropteron, Sagaminopteron and Siphopteron are all small to very small, colourful head-shield slugs that can swim by flapping their parapodia. This gives them the common name "Bat-winged Slugs". Some feed on sponges, while others are probably generalist feeders.
Sagaminopteon psychedelicum is most often seen by divers, Its' white/pink body is covered in large black-edged bright-orange polkadots.
