Doto ? from East Timor

July 24, 2008
From: Brian Francisco

Hi Bill

Could this be a Doto species? Underwater it looked more like a row of eggs than an animal. But since it was on the spine of a hydroid I took a few shots for later viewing. We think we can make out small oral tentacles, but need your expert help.

Locality: K41, 14 metres, East Timor, Banda Sea, 06 July 2008, rubble slope. Length: 10 mm. Photographer: Brian Francisco.

Thanks
Brian
www.uwet.net

francisco.brian@gmail.com

Francisco, B., 2008 (Jul 24) Doto ? from East Timor. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21679

Dear Brian,

I am pretty sure this is a species of Doto but I had to look very carefully at your photos to decide which was the front end! For anyone puzzling over this animal, the cerata all point forwards, and the largest are at the front end.

I have included a close-up [middle right] showing the left rhinophore. It is partly obscured by the anteriormost ceras, but it looks like the rhinophore sheath has white spots but lacks the collar, or recurved flange, normally found in species of Doto.

I am pretty sure this species is unnamed. It is apparently very well camouflaged for living on hydroids with a thick brown central stalk.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Jul 24). Comment on Doto ? from East Timor by Brian Francisco. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21679

Factsheet

Doto sp. 11