Paradoris liturata
(Bergh, 1905)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Discodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Specimens have been reported (see messages below) from Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Thailand.

PHOTO

Found at depth of 90ft, in open, on a wall, crawling over dead coral encrusted with coralline algae. It was not feeding when found. 2.5 cm live. Pulau Hoga Island, Tukangbesi Archipelago, SE Sulawesi, Indonesia. PHOTO: Adam Powell.

RELATED TOPIC

Mimics of Phyllidiella pustulosa

Note added 5 March 2007: This species was previously known on the Forum as Discodoris? liturata Bergh, 1905

This remarkable mimic of the phyllidiid Phyllidiella pustulosa has been commented on by a number of researchers in recent years. Richard Willan ( message #350 ) has studied the holotype of Bergh's Discodoris? liturata and considers them to be the same, but not a species of Discodoris. Bergh's material was collected from off Sumbawa Island, Indonesia, during the Siboga Expedition. he notes its similarity to Phyllidiella.

Dayrat (2006) shows that it is a species of Paradoris.

See also Aldisa erwinkoehleri, a Phyllidia mimic from Thailand.
See also Aldisa williamsi, another phyllidiid mimic from Indonesia.

• Bergh, L.S.R. (1905) Siboga Expedition Monograph, 50: 106-7, Pl 14, figs 15-20.
• Dayrat, B. (2006) A taxonomic revision of Paradoris sea slugs (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia, Doridina). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 147 (2): 125-238.
• Willan, R.C. (1989) Ultrastructure of a remarkable new mimetic dorid nudibranch (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia). Abstracts, 10th International Malacological Congress, Tubingen 1989.
• Gosliner, T.M. & D.W. Behrens 1990. Special resemblance, aposematic coloration and mimicry in opisthobranch gastropods. Pages 127-138, pl 8-10 In: Wicksten, M. (Compiler) Adaptive Coloration in Invertebrates. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 138 pp.,11 plates.

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