Sagaminopteron ornatum
Bat-wing seaslug | Batwing Slug
Same Genus
Distribution
Temperate Australasia, Tropical Indo-Pacific
Description
Small internal shell and a purple body with wide orange-margined side lobes, making it one of the most distinctive of all opisthobranchs. The species is generally found attached to the bottom in the vicinity of a grey sponge, but can also swim, which it does rarely by flapping the side lobes in a slow bat-like motion. Although this sea slug is not abundant, it is well known to divers because its bright colouration attracts attention.
Information
Max Size: 3 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 12.5-24.7°C
Depth: 0-20m
Habitat Generalization Index: N/A
Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.
Conservation and Rarity
IUCN Status: Not Evaluated
Occurrence: Infrequent (6.7% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Few (2 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney