Tambja haidari
Pola, Cervera & Gosliner, 2006

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Polyceridae
Subfamily: Nembrothinae

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from Dakar, Senegal.

PHOTO

Gouye teni M'bot, Dakar, Senegal, Eastern Atlantic. Depth: 22 m. Size: 95-100 mm. June 04, 2003.  Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia

Tambja haidari sp. nov. is only . This species has dark blue ground colour with yellow bands and sky-blue spots, which become real tubercles along the tail. There are several dorsal and lateral yellow bands running from the head to the end of the tail. Between these bands are short blue bands or spots, which can be raised. The blue spots on the tail are tuberculate. The gills are dark blue while the inner rachis is mostly yellow and the outer rachis, blue. The rhinophores are dark blue and the sheth edged in blue. The oral tentacles, the anterior margin of the head, the anal papilla, the genital pore and the foot are also bordered in blue. Behind the rhinophores there are two distinctive arrow-tip shaped dark blue spots. The internal features are typical of species of the genus, with rachidian teeth that lack denticles and with a prostate slightly differentiated from the rest of the vas deferens. The living animals may reach 52mm in length.

• Pola, M., Cervera, J. L., and Gosliner, T. M. (2006) Description of two new phanerobranch nembrothid species (Nudibranchia: Polyceridae: Doridacea). Journal of the marine biological Association, U.K. 86: 403-409.

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