Dendronotus dalli
Bergh 1879

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DENDRONOTINA
Family: Dendronotidae

DISTRIBUTION

North Pacific - Bering Sea to Puget Sound, Washington, USA.

PHOTO

Upper: 5 Fingers Islands, Alaska, July 2002. Depth approx 25 m, Length approx 80 mm. Photo: Clinton Bauder. Lower: Sucia Island, San Juan Islands, Boundary Pass, Washington, USA. NW Pacific. Depth: 70'. Length: 3-4". 09 Sept 2005. Rocky slope with small fern-like plants. Photographer: Jack Connick

The animal is translucent white to pink, with all cerata, papillae and other processes tipped with white. In rare cases animals can also be covered in small opaque white spots. There are usually 6-7 extensively branched short cerata. The oral veil has 4, or more often, 5 stout, extensively branched papillae along the edge of the oral veil. The animal can grow to about 14cm but is usually 4-5 cm. It is reported (Robilliard, 1970) to live in close association with the hydroids Abietinaria rigida and A. amphora, which they almost ceratinly feed on.

• Bergh, L.S.R. (1879) On the nudibranchiate gasteropod Mollusca of the North Pacific Ocean, with special reference to those of Alaska. Scientific Results Exploration Alaska. 1(Art. 5, pt. 1): 127-188. (Pls.1-8)
• Bergh, L.S.R. (1879) On the nudibranchiate gasteropod Mollusca of the North Pacific Ocean, with special reference to those of Alaska, part 1. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 31: 71-132, Pls.1-8.
• Robilliard, G. A. 1970. The systematics and some aspects of the ecology of the genus Dendronotus. The Veliger, 12(4): 433-479, pls. 63-64.

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