Heroidae (Gray, 1857)

Broms, Fredrik, 2024, Diversity of nudibranchs in shallow water habitats in the region of Tromsø, northern Norway, Fauna norvegica 43, pp. 84-109 : 93

Family Heroidae (Gray, 1857)

Hero formosa (Lovén, 1844) Figure 3A

Material examined: One specimen, THA, 17 February 2021, FB, NUIT-1044 ( Figure 3A ) ; One specimen, SFJ, 04 July 2021, FB, NTNU-VM-84428/NUIT-1047 .

Localities: SFJ, THA

Distribution and remarks: Hero formosa is regarded a rare and mainly deep-water species, both in Norway and elsewhere in the Northeast Atlantic ( Lundin et al. 2020; Moen & Svensen 2020;

Lundin & Malmberg 2021; Picton & Morrow 2023). Previous records are few and mainly from southern Norway Evertsen & Bakken 2005). The findings by the present study show that H. formosa may also be found in shallow waters. Spawning was observed. Krause (1895) reported four specimens of H. formosa from Skattøra in Tromsø 129 years ago and to my knowledge his record is the only previous observation of the species from Tromsø. The present study verifies the presence of H. formosa in the Tromsø region.

Figures

Figure 3.A. Hero formosa, NUIT-1044, B. Dendronotus cf. europaeus,photo record, 30 October 2020, C. Dendronotus cf. frondosus, NTNU VM-85642/ NUIT-1199, D. Dendronotus cf. lacteus, photo record, 31 July 2023, E.Dendronotus robustus, NTNU VM-83910/NUIT-1014, F.Doto coronata, NTNU VM-85690/NUIT-1165, G. Doto cf. fragilis, NUIT-1042, H. Doto cf. fragilis, NTNU VM-84506/NUIT-1058, I. Doto cf. maculata, NTNU VM-85736/ NUIT-1147, J. Doto cf. millbayana, photo record 21 August 2021, K. Candiella plebeia, NUIT-1345. L. Aeolidia filomenae, NTNU VM-84388/NUIT- 1140. Scale bar: 10 mm. All photos: Fredrik Broms.