Dendrodoris senegalensis
Bouchet, 1975

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

PHOTO

Dakar [Site: Terou baye Sogui], Senegal, Eastern Atlantic.
Upper: Depth: 2m. June 02, 2003. Size: 75-80mm. Lower: Depth: 4m. May 30, 2003. Size: 15mm. Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia

Originally described from Senegal it has also been reported from the Cape Verde Ids. In adults, the background colour of the mantle is very variable, ranging from translucent white, yellow, orange, brown, or grey. Scattered all over are diffuse spots of varying size, ranging in colour from light and dark brown to red. Juveniles are invariably translucent orange-red, and as they grow a pattern of darker spots begins to develop. The gills and rhinophores are similar in colour to the mantle and have a whitish tip. The gills are relatively large. D. senegalensis grows to at least 80mm in length.

This species is compared with other species described from West Africa in a separate message.
See also Marina Poddubetskaia Ossokine's message [#17131] discussing similarity of Dendrodoris grandiflora to D. senegalensis.

References:
• Bouchet, P. (1975) Nudibranches nouveaux des cotes du Senegal. Vie et Milieu, 25(1): 119-132
• Valdes, A., Ortea, J., Avila, C. & Ballesteros, M. (1996) Review of the genus Dendrodoris Ehrenberg, 1831 (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) in the Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 62: 1-31.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2003 (July 3) Dendrodoris senegalensis Bouchet, 1975. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/dendsene

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