Pseudoceros cf. laticlavus
All photos: Cory Pittman.

This puzzling worm was found by Darcy Kehler in the shallow subtidal at Ke'e beach, Kauai, on May 8, 2014. The length was about 35 mm. While photographing it, Cory Pittman noticed that although it closely resembled Pseudoceros paralaticlavus (on this site), it lacked the yellow marginal line present in that species, both on the body and on the pseudotentacles.

Checking the Newman-Cannon CD, he found a closer match: P. laticlavus. This worm also resembles P. paralaticlavus but lacks a yellow marginal line on body and pseudotentacles. Cory also noted that Darcy's worm holds its tentacles in a different posture than does paralaticlavus.

So, is Darcy's worm the first Pseudoceros laticlavus recorded from Hawaii? Possibly, but we will be conservative and add a "cf." to indicate that we aren't sure.

By the way, Cory notes that while the laticlavus worms illustrated on the CD have white bands instead or orange-brown bands, he believes this orange-brown color derives from a pigmented mucus that might or might not be present on any given worm.

BACK to longitudinal stripes

underside of same worm