Southwest Florida Shells

by José H. Leal

Family Aeolidiidae

Cerberilla cf. tanna

(Marcus & Marcus, 1960)

Cream-colored Sea Slug

Body about 40 mm long, elongated, narrow, color cream-white. Head distinct, oral tentacles and rhinophores cylindrical. Lips present, protruded. Rhinophores short, bases close together, upper quarter black, but with light-colored distal extremities. Foot wider than body. Cerata elongated, gradually tapering to a slender distal extremity. Cerata with oblique black and yellow bands. This individual was photographed by Amy Tripp in 2009 on Kice Island, Collier County. The uncertainty in the identification ("cf" between the genus and specific ending of the species name) was suggested by Dr. Ángel Valdés (California State Univ., Pomona) because true C. tanna lacks the yellow color in its cerata.