Diaphorodoris luteocincta
(M. Sars, 1870)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Onchidorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Common in the western Mediterranean but known from as far north as Norway

PHOTO

Baie de Peyrefitte (Mediterranean French/Spanish frontier).
UPPER PHOTO: Diaphorodoris luteocincta 'var alba (Portmann & Sandmeier, 1960)' 6m depth, size 12 mm.
LOWER PHOTO: Diaphorodoris luteocincta 'var reticulata (Portmann & Sandmeier 1960)' 3m depth, size 5 mm.
PHOTOS: Patrick Heurtaux.

White with a submarginal bright yellow border and prominent pointed papillae on mantle. There can be blotches of red, or a red reticulate pattern in the centre of the mantle. It grows to about 11mm long. Portmann & Sandmeier, (1960) proposed that the two colour forms illustrated here should be considered distinct and proposed the 'variety' names Diaphorodoris luteocincta var alba and Diaphorodoris luteocincta var reticulata but these names have not been accepted by most workers who consider the colour variation found in the 'species' is a continuum. However see Bernard Picton's message below where he strongly argues that there are two distinct species.

Reported by Thompson & Brown (1984) to feed on the ectoproct bryozoans Smittina reticulata, Cellepora pumicosa and species of Crisia.

Reference:
• Thompson, T.E. & Brown, G.H. (1984) Biology of Opisthobranch Molluscs, Vol 2. Ray Society: London.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (March 2) Diaphorodoris luteocincta (M. Sars, 1870). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/diaplute

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