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Family: Pseudocerotidae
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Bocas Species Database Habitat: Corral rubble, at 4.5 m water depth. In Bocas del Toro, Rawlinson reported this species found in reef habitats. Distribution: The only specimen has been collected in Swan Cay, in the region of Bocas del Toro, Panama. Natural History Notes: The first and only specimen of this species was discovered in 2005 by the collector Dr. Larry Harris in Bocas del Toro, Panama and was named after him. Due to the absence of many specimens, no comparison of color patterns could be conducted within the species but nonetheless, the external and internal characteristics were well preserved enough to distinguish this species from other members of the genus Cycloporus that showed similar body shape and coloration features. The marginal dots present in Pseudoceros harrisi are due to pigmentation and not to the presence vesicles that open toward the exterior as found in Cycloporus. More specimens of this species should be collected to increase the knowledge on this species. Characteristics: Transparent cream-pinkish background. The dorsal surface shows a red coloration with big white spots on top of the pigment and the coloration gets absent toward the margin. The margin can be distinguished by the presence of small and numerous white dots. Bright white tentacles. According to the coloration pattern for this genus, the species fits into Group 5. Animal surrounded by a ciliated epithelium. The ovaries are located on the dorsal part of the animal and the testes are on the ventral part. |
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