Doto maculata
(Montagu, 1804)
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DENDRONOTINA
Family: Dotidae
DISTRIBUTION
Western coasts of the British Isles, but information on distribution probably confused by identification problems between this and similarly coloured species.
PHOTO
South Gortein, Loch Fyne. Scotland. Sea loch on west coast of Scotland. Depth: 16 m. Length: 6 mm approx. 28 November 2004. on rocky reef. Water temperature 11 degC. Photographer: Jim Anderson.
A small species similar in colour to the Doto coronata group of species, usually less than 9 mm long. Has 4 to 5 pairs of cerata, each with 3 to 4 circles of elongate rounded tubercles. The animal is translucent white with dark spots, described as crimson (Thompson & Brown, 1984) or maroon-red (Picton & Morrow, 1994). The tubercles are tipped with a dark spot, except for the terminal tubercle. It differs in colour from similarly coloured species such as Doto coronata and Doto eirana in usually lacking a dark reddish spot on the tip of the terminal ceratal tubercles, and lacking reddish colouration on the inside of each ceratal base, and from the rhinophore sheath.
It feeds exclusively on the hydroid Halopteris catharina (see Picton & Morrow, 1994) .
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Picton, B. E., & Christine Morrow. (1994) A field guide to the
nudibranchs of the British Isles, 143 pp. Immel Publishing -
Thompson, T. E. & Brown. G.H. (1984) Biology of opisthobranch molluscs, vol. 2, 229 pp. Ray Society, no. 156.
Rudman, W.B., 2005 (January 31) Doto maculata (Montagu, 1804). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/dotomacu
