Geitodoris planata - distinguishing features

August 22, 2001
From: Peter H. van Bragt

Dear Bill,
To accompany my earlier message, here are some photos to show particular characteristic features of Geitodoris planata. It has often been confused with Archidoris pseudoargus but it can be recognised in the field by the following features:
• The animal has large numbers of tubercles on the outer mantle, in various sizes and rounded in shape. There a small number of typical larger tubercles that are acid glands that most often appear in star shaped light coloured regions (see LOWER LEFT PHOTO).
• The underside of the mantle is lighter sandy brown in colour with at the edges typical darker brown small spots that often appear in pairs. (see LOWER RIGHT PHOTO). •It has a most characteristic pair of head tentacles that are rather difficult to observe in the field as they are hidden between the mantle and the foot at the underside of the animal. (see UPPER RIGHT PHOTO)

With best regards
Peter H. van Bragt

vanbragt.phjm@hsbrabant.nl

van Bragt, P.H. , 2001 (Aug 22) Geitodoris planata - distinguishing features. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5126

Dear Peter,
Thanks for these very useful photos, in particular the UPPER one which I have labelled. It is a ventral view of the front end of the body showing the head and anterior end of the foot. In this photo you can see:
• the mouth at the tip of a partly everted buccal bulb. I am not sure if this is 'natural' or whether the animal is dying as this bulb is normally only everted like this when the animal is feeding.
• the right oral tentacle. There will be another of these finger-like tentacles on the other side but it is obscured in the photo. Archidoris pseudoargus does not have finger-like tentacles like this so this is a good distinguishing character between the two species.
• the laminae on the anterior end of the foot. At the anterior end of the foot in many dorids you will find the edge is split into and upper and lower flap, which we call laminae. In Geitodoris the upper lamina is broken by a median notch. By comparison Archidoris doesn't have a notch.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Aug 22). Comment on Geitodoris planata - distinguishing features by Peter H. van Bragt . [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5126

Factsheet

Geitodoris planata

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