Dendrodoris? from Queensland

February 4, 2000
From: Thomas Haberkorn

Dear Bill,
Last year I sent a message about this Dendrodoris I found off Airlie Beach in Queensland, Australia a number of years ago According to the guy I was buddied up with, and who claimed to be some kind of "Hobbyexpert" of Nudibranchs, it was unknown to anyone. I found it near Knuckle Reef, 40 nautical miles off Airlie Beach, Queensland.

Thomas Haberkorn

martom@mackay.net.au

Thomas Haberkorn, 2000 (Feb 4) Dendrodoris? from Queensland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1844

Dear Thomas,
It certainly has the look of a Dendrodoris but that could only be confirmed by dissection or by having a close look at the head. In most cryptobranch dorids the head is a distinct structure with a pair of small oral tentacles. In the dendrodorids, which are all suctorial feeders without radular teeth, the head is much reduced and there are ridges joining it to the foot. I'll try and find a good photo to post as a comparison with the 'toothed' dorids.

Now to the identity of your animal. I don't recognise it off-hand. It could be a strange colour variation of Dendrodoris fumata but I doubt it. Then first thing to find out would be whether it is a dendrodorid, and then we would need to find some more specimens to see how variable it was in colour. I can't help you with any information on its biology or distribution other than to guess it is a sponge feeder.

Sorry I can't be more informative. Keep an eye out for some more specimens.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Feb 4). Comment on Dendrodoris? from Queensland by Thomas Haberkorn. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1844

Factsheet

Dendrodoris? sp. 2.

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