Cephalaspidopisthobranchs of the Azores

Forty-six species of cephalaspid opisthobranchs have been recorded
from the Azores Archipelago, most of which are insufficiently understood
with a large proportion apparently never collected alive. The majority
of previously recorded species (34 or 74%) are only known from
depths greater than 200 m. The remaining 13 shallow-water species are
discussed herein. Two new records are added to the shallow-water fauna:
Haminoea cf. orteai Talavera, Murillo & Templado, 1987, and Retusa multiquadrata
Oberling, 1970. Tornatina mariei Dautzenberg, 1889, orignially
described from Sao Miguel, is synonymized with the common European
species, Retusa truncatula (Bruguiere, 1792). Shell and anatomical
details for these three species are described, and further possible synonymies/
Forty-six species of cephalaspid opisthobranchs have been recorded
from the Azores Archipelago, most of which are insufficiently understood
with a large proportion apparently never collected alive. The majority
of previously recorded species (34 or 74%) are only known from
depths greater than 200 m. The remaining 13 shallow-water species are
discussed herein. Two new records are added to the shallow-water fauna:
Haminoea cf. orteai Talavera, Murillo & Templado, 1987, and Retusa multiquadrata
Oberling, 1970. Tornatina mariei Dautzenberg, 1889, orignially
described from Sao Miguel, is synonymized with the common European
species, Retusa truncatula (Bruguiere, 1792). Shell and anatomical
details for these three species are described, and further possible synonymies/
misidentifications are discussed. The currently recognized 14
shallow-water species are primarily of European/Mediterranean affinity.
shallow-water species are primarily of European/Mediterranean affinity.