Platydoris maculata from Malta

November 8, 2006
From: Constantine


Bill
Here are a couple of images of Platydoris maculata. This bathyal specimen was attached to a small sponge which was fixed to an old abandoned fishing line from 306 metres. 9 miles off Gozo Iland, in the Maltese archipelago. unfortunately the specimen was not in very good condition by the time I noticed it.

Locality: Gozo Island, 306 metres, Malta, Mediterranean, 26-July 2006, bathyal. Length: 20mm. Photographer: C. Mifsud.

Regards,
Con

kejdon@orbit.net.mt

Mifsud C., 2006 (Nov 8) Platydoris maculata from Malta. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17644

Dear Con,
This is an interesting record of a rarely reported species. I see that Angel Valdes considers Platydoris maculata  to belong to the genus Baptodoris [see message #2809], and Dorgan, Valdes & Gosliner (2002) suggest that it is almost certainly a synonym of Baptodoris cinnabarina Bergh, 1884.

  • Ballesteros, M. and Valdés, A. (1999) Redescripcion de Baptodoris cinnabarina Bergh, 1884 (Opisthobranchia, Doridina, Platydorididae) y discusion taxonomica de otras especies del genero Baptodoris Bergh, 1884. Iberus, 17: 27-35.
  • Bouchet P. (1977) Opisthobranches de profondeur de l'Ocean Atlantique. II Notaspidea et Nudibranchiata. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 43 (1):28-60
  • Dorgan, K. M., Valdés, A. & Gosliner, T. M. (2002)
    Phylogenetic systematics of the genus Platydoris (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Doridoidea) with descriptions of six new species. Zoologica Scripta, 31(3): 271-319.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Nov 8). Comment on Platydoris maculata from Malta by Constantine. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17644

Factsheet

Platydoris maculata