Glossodoris 'sp. A.'
Rudman, 1986

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Chromodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

PHOTO

Little Kelso Reef 18-031, 18 deg 22'S, 146 deg 59'E., 12m, March 1998, 70 mm long. PHOTO: Jim Cruise.

RELATED TOPIC

Glossodoris dendrobranchia

I described a specimen of this species as 'Glossodoris sp. A' in 1986, but was not willing to name it from a single specimen. This second specimen found by Jim Cruise (see message below), seems to confirm its nondescript pinkish brown colour and general body shape. It is one of the 'G. atromarginata group' of species with a high, very rigid muscular body, with a narrow radular ribbon. In Jim Cruise's photo you can see paler translucent patches along the rounded mantle edge which mark the position of the mantle glands. The radular morphology is quite similar to that of Glossodoris dendrobranchia which is also known from only a few specimens. I suspect this is a good species but more specimens are needed before we can confirm its status.

References:
• Rudman, W.B. (1986a) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West
Pacific: The genus Glossodoris Ehrenberg (= Casella, H. & A. Adams). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 86(2): 101-184.
• Rudman, W.B. (1990b) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: further species of Glossodoris, Thorunna and the Chromodoris aureomarginata colour group. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 100(3): 263-326.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (July 18) Glossodoris 'sp. A.' Rudman, 1986. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/glosspa

Copyright © Australian Museum, 1998-2010