First record of Spurilla neapolitana (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Aeolidiidae) on the central coast of Peru (Humboldt Current Upwelling Ecosystem)

Members of the genus Spurilla are nudibranchs with circumtropical distribution. Spurilla neapolitana is reported for the first time inhabiting subtidal soft-bottom habitats of the central coast of Peru. Adult specimens were found in BahÃ-a Ferrol (09°04â S 78°35â W) at 10 m depth in November of 2009. Spurilla neapolitana is characterized by the presence of a long body with numerous cerata along the dorsal side of the body and a distinctive orange colouring with white dots. This finding extends the geographical range of Spurilla spp. into the south-eastern Pacific and adds a new contribution to the macro-mollusc diversity thriving in the Humboldt Current Upwelling Ecosystem.