Diaulula lentiginosa? from Carmel, California

July 5, 2005
From: Clinton Bauder

Hi Bill,
Diving off of Yankee Point in Carmel near one of our favorite offshore pinancles. We were a bit north of the area we normally dive which in this location means the reef is more exposed to the prevailing current. I saw 2 very large dorids which I suspect are Diaulula lentiginosa (Is that the correct name these days or is it still Anisodoris lentiginosa?). If this is correct it's quite a range extension. My picture isn't the best but it's enough to show that the animal really looks like the same thing as I've seen before in British Columbia. The animal in the picture is huge; 300mm or so and was at a depth of around 55 meters. The other one which I don't have an image of was shallower, maybe 40 meters. I'm not 100% sure about the sponge it appears to be eating but it might be Halichondria panicea.

Locality: Yankee Point, Carmel, California, USA. Depth: 55 meters. Length: 300 mm. 25 June 2005. Vertical rocky wall. Photographer: Clinton Bauder

Clinton

gecko1@apple.com

Bauder, C., 2005 (Jul 5) Diaulula lentiginosa? from Carmel, California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14147

Dear Clinton,
Certainly to my untutored eye it looks like the mottled form of Diaulula lentiginosa. Concerning your comment about the generic position of this species. Basically its in a state of limbo at the moment. As I mentioned in an earlier message [#8419], Anisodoris is now considered a synonym of Diaulula. Unfortunately Anisodoris lentiginosa was not a good Anisodoris in the first place, lacking such essential features as caryophyllidia. Dave Behrens (2004) has provisionally placed it in Peltodoris, but as he says, it needs a proper investigation to be sure. Perhaps I should have left it in Anisodoris until the dust settles.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Jul 5). Comment on Diaulula lentiginosa? from Carmel, California by Clinton Bauder. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14147

Factsheet

Diaulula lentiginosa

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