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Sunday, November 8, 2015

What swims, and has ruffles and horns?

We're back from Sacramento, but it was a long weekend, so here's a picture from September that I haven't had a chance to share yet:


Meet Pseudoceros luteus, a beautiful, graceful flatworm.  This image is from Bodega Harbor, but I also received reports of them from Tomales Bay this year.  Jarrett was the first one to alert me to this species in Bodega Harbor — perhaps around 2007?  This year, Pseudoceros luteus seems much more common in the Harbor, perhaps due to warmer water conditions.

I was wondering about this flatworm's scientific name.  I don't have access to a book of Latin names right now, so I'm just guessing that "Pseudoceros" means something like, "false horns."  [Think about a different animal with a somewhat similar name = rhinoceros = "nose horn".]

But the next question would be — where are this flatworm's "false horns"?  Perhaps the name refers to the black tentacular flaps that stick up like small "horns" — they're more easily seen in the picture below.


Watch for these flatworms over the tidal flats or swimming by the docks.

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