Dendrodoris rainfordi Allan, 1932

October 16, 2002
From: Alison Miller

Bill,
This specimen was found on a recent trip to Shoalwater Bay in Central Queensland. It was located on a rocky shoal at LWS on the Townshend Island side of Canoe Passage, September 2002. We tentatively gave it the name Dendrodoris rainfordi Allan, 1932. Would you be able to confirm the i.d.?

The specimen was approx. 17cm long. AMS C.415153. Photos: A.C.Miller.

Alison Miller

alisonm@austmus.gov.au

Miller, A., 2002 (Oct 16) Dendrodoris rainfordi Allan, 1932. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8167

Dear Alison,
This is a very interesting find. It is only the second record I know of it since it was originally described. Joyce Allan (1932), in her original description, compared it to Jorunna funebris, and apart from the lack of caryophyllidia on its back it certainly looks like that species, at least in the original painting which I have copied here (Plate 4, figs 14, 15).

However from its general body shape and mouth parts it is clearly a species of Dendrodoris. From the bright orange faecal pellet you captured for posterity (lower left photo) this animal was feeding on an orange sponge.

• Allan, J.K. (1932) Australian Nudibranchs. Australian Zoologist, 7(2): 87-105, Pls 4, 5.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Oct 16). Comment on Dendrodoris rainfordi Allan, 1932 by Alison Miller. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8167

Factsheet

Dendrodoris rainfordi

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