Dendrodoris caesia
(Bergh, 1907)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Dendrodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from South Africa.

PHOTO

Brazenhead, Eastern Cape, South Africa, 25m. 40mm long. July 2001. Photo: Valda Fraser

This fits Barnard's description of Dendrodoris kalkensis very well. Gosliner thinks it is probably the same as Dendrodoris caesia (Bergh, 1907) but Bergh's description of a single preserved specimen is to me unidentifiable. [See my comments below]. However since Gosliner has already began using D. caesia I will continue that usage. See message below.

Background colour of mantle cream to reddish with reddish bown specks, sometimes aggregated into patches scattered all over mantle except around the edge which is translucent white with scattered blue spots, sometimes quite large, and sometimes small and more numerous. Gills salmon with bluish spots, rhinophore clubs reddish brown with dark bluish band near white tip. Mantle edge thin and frilled. Relatively large growing to 50mm.

References:
• Barnard, K.H. (1927) South African nudibranch mollusca, with descriptions of new species, and a note on some specimens from Tristan d'Acunha. Annals of the South African Museum, 25(1): 171-215, Pls 19,20.
• Barnard, K.H. (1932) Note on the true genus of Doris (?) kalkensis Barnard. Journal of Conchology, 19(8): 256-257.
• Bergh, L.S.R. (1907) Marine Investigations of South Africa 5(1). The Opisthobranchiata of South Africa. Transactions of the South African Philosphical Society, 17(1): 1-144. Pls. 1-14.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (August 1) Dendrodoris caesia (Bergh, 1907). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/dendcaes

Related messages

  1. Dendrodoris caesia and D. kalkensis
    From: Terry Gosliner, August 8, 2001
  2. Dendrodoris kalkensis? from Sth Africa
    From: Valda Fraser, August 6, 2001

Show factsheet and all related messages