Hoplodoris flammea
Fahey & Gosliner, 2003

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

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from Bali, Indonesia at present.

PHOTO

Hoplodoris flammea 24 mm long alive. PARATYPE: CASIZ 140345, Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia. 31 October 2000.Photo: T.M. Gosliner. [From Fahey & Gosliner, 2003: Fig 17D]

Hoplodoris flammea has thus far been found only from Bali. It was named for its fiery red central notum color. The notum is covered with large, rounded tubercles and the rhinophores are close-set and tall. The rhinophore and gill sheaths are raised with irregular edges and have small rounded tubercles on the sides and the rim. Hoplodoris flammea is superficially similar to H. bifurcata in that both species have a central dorsum color that is distinct from the surrounding mantle coloration. Hoplodoris flammea has a bright red color, while the central color of H. bifurcata is more reddish-brown. Both species have complex, variegated ground coloration with mottled shades of grays and browns. Both have elongate rhinophores with deep tan lamellar regions and white tips. The gill leaves of both species are feathery and tan in color. But Hoplodoris flammea lacks the small black spots on the notum that are present in H. bifurcata. Further, the internal anatomy, particularly the radular morphology, differs between these species. It is the combination of morphological characters, external, radular and reproductive that distinguishes H. flammea as a separate Hoplodoris species.

Reference:
• Fahey, S. J. & Gosliner, T. M. (2003) Mistaken identities: On the Discodorididae genera Hoplodoris Bergh, 1880 and Carminodoris Bergh, 1889 (Opisthobranchia, Nudibranchia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 54(10): 169-208.

Authorship details
Fahey, S. J., 2003 (October 17) Hoplodoris flammea Fahey & Gosliner, 2003. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/hoplflam

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