Durvilledoris similaris
Rudman, 1986

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Chromodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from the Philippines and the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Probably widely distributed in tropical western Pacific.

PHOTO

Buyong Bch.,8m, Mactan Is.,Cebu, Philippines, April 1983 (Holotype, 5mm long preserved) PHOTO: Ian Loch.

Durvilledoris similaris is one of a group of similarly coloured species of chomodorid with a pink or purple background colour and one longitudinal white line (Noumea purpurea colour group), or multiple white lines (Chromodoris decora colour group). In this species the background colour of the mantle is a translucent pinkish purple and there is a white mantle margin. On the inside edge of the white margin there are diffuse deeper purple patches which form a continuous band at least at the posterior and anterior ends of the mantle. There is a median white line which forms a ring, or partial ring around the gill pocket. The upper half of the rhinophores and gills are a translucent orange, and the lower half a much paler colour. Only two specimens have been photographed so no information on variability is available.

See the Noumea purpurea Colour Group Page to compare this species with others of similar colour.

Reference:
• Rudman, W.B. (1986b) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: Noumea purpurea and Chromodoris decora colour groups. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 86(4): 309-353.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (August 13) Durvilledoris similaris Rudman, 1986. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/durvsimi

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