Hypselodoris peasei
(Bergh, 1880)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Chromodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from Hawaiian Islands of Oahu & Maui.

PHOTO

PHOTOS Scott Johnson

This species has a confused nomenclatural history. Originally named Doris prismatica var. lineata Pease, 1860, and renamed Chromodoris peasei by Bergh (1880), it has more recently been described as Hypselodoris andersoni by Bertsch & Gosliner (1989). It is endemic to Hawaii, and grows to about 20mm in length. Characteristic features of its colour pattern, differentiating it from other white-lined hypselodorids include the two orange bands on the rhinophores, orange line on gills, and the violet border to mantle and foot. Some animals also have small blue spots on the mantle and brownish pink patches near the mantle edge. See Scott Johnson's message for a description of its natural history, and my message for a discussion of its nomenclatural confusion with Hypselodoris bertschi.

See more photos below.
See original description of Dorisprismatica lineata & C. peasei below.

References:
•Johnson, S. (1983) Distribution of two nudibranch species on a subtidal reef on the western shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The Veliger, 25(4): 356-364.
•Bertsch, H. & Gosliner, T.M. (1989) Chromodorid nudibranchs from the Hawaiian Islands. The Veliger, 32(3): 247-265.
•Gosliner, T.M. & Johnson, R.F. (1999) Phylogeny of Hypselodoris (Nudibranchia: Chromodorididae) with a review of the monophyletic clade of Indo-Pacific species, including descriptions of twelve new species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 125: 1-114.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (February 4) Hypselodoris peasei (Bergh, 1880). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/hypspeas

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