A NEW SPECIES OF CYERCE BERGH, 1871, C. KIKUTAROBABAI, FROM YORON ISLAND (OPISTHOBRANCHIA : SACOGLOSSA)

Abstract

While sacoglossan opisthobranchs inhabiting caulerpan colonies were searched for in Yoron Island (27°1 'N and 128°24'E) of the Amami Islands from March 28 to April 3, 1975, a pretty species, but unknown to the author at that time, was discovered. Later, the detailed examination of this animal revealed that it represented clearly a new species of the genus Cyerce Bergh, 1871 (=Lobiancoia Trinchese, 1881) of the family Caliphyllidae. As only a single species of this genus, C. nigricans (Pease, 1866), has been known so far in Japan from Ishigaki Island of the Ryukyu Archipelago by Baba (1936), this finding seems noteworthy. This new species is here named after the author's teacher, Dr. Kikutaro Baba, as it was dedicated to him in celebration of his 70th birthday, July 11 of 1975.