2026 · Photo: Boaz Liebes
Cyerce blackburnae
Philippines · Indo Pacific - South China Sea
- Size
- 8–20 mm
- Native range
- Tropical western Pacific: Papua New Guinea, Guam, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Caledonia and the Marshall Islands.
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Description
A small sap-sucking sea slug (Sacoglossa) described in 2025, with its type locality at Madang, Papua New Guinea. When disturbed it can swim with a striking rowing motion of its cerata.
Share link: https://seaslugs.org.il/species/cyerce-blackburnae-phillipines-indo-pacific-south-china-sea/
Identification
Cream-white to greyish body with reticulated dark brown striations on the head and rhinophores. Bulbous, oblong cerata with scattered white papillae, whitish to bright yellow spot clusters and a single whitish-fuchsia band along the inner margin, outlined by pale yellow spots. Rhinophores noticeably long, translucent white with brown striations.
Similar species
Its sister species Cyerce tutela also has fuchsia bands and brown striations, but has three bands on the ceratal margin and shorter rhinophores.
Habitat & diet
Habitat
Tropical coral reefs and lagoons with green algae.
Food
Green algae; recorded feeding on Udotea geppiorum in Guam.