Discodoris stellifera
(Vayssiere, 1904)

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

DISTRIBUTION

Mediterranean and nearby Atlantic coastline

PHOTO

Locality: Gulf of Trieste, 5 m., Italy, Northern Adriatic, Jan.-Feb-2005. Length: 2 and 4 cm.. Photographer: Tancredi D'Onofrio

According to Cervera et al (1985) Discodoris (= Anisodoris?) stellifera has been confusd with Geitodoris planata in much of the modern literature. Both have star-shaped formations on the back, but can be distinguished by their radular morphology, the outer teeth in Geitodoris planata being smooth and spathulate while in D. stellifera they are finely denticulate. The apecies identified and illustrated by Schmekel & Portmann (1982) as Discodoris planata is almost certatnly D. stellifera.

Note: correct generic position still to be determined

See the following papers for more information.

• Cervera, J.L., Garcia-Gomez, J.C. & Garcia, F.J. (1985) Redescription of Geitodoris planata (Alder & Hancock, 1846) (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia). J. Moll. Stud., 51: 198-204.
• Ortea, J.A. (1990) El genero Geitodoris Bergh, 1891 (Mollusca: Nudibranchia) en las Islas Canarias. Rev. Acad. Canar. Cienc., 2: 99-120.
• Schmekel, L. & Portmann, A (1982) Opisthobranchia des Mittelmeeres, Nudibranchia und Saccoglossa. Fauna e Flora del Golfo Napoli, 40: 1-410. Springer-Verlag: Berlin

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