Hoplodoris armata? from South Africa
October 19, 2009
From: Valda Fraser
Dear Bill
This one has me stumped. Hope you can solve the ID issue.
Locality: Cape Vidal, 28 m, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Indian, 17 September 2009, On a wreck. Length: 45 mm. Photographer: Valda Fraser.
All the best.
Valda Fraser
valdafraser@mweb.co.za
Fraser, V.J., 2009 (Oct 19) Hoplodoris armata? from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22684Dear Valda,
It looks a bit like some of the large species of Dendrodoris, but I am pretty sure it is a species of Hoplodoris. Unfortunately I am not finding that genus very easy to identify to the species level from external appearances, but the shape of the tubercles, with a prominent stalk and a basal white ring, suggest this is a colour form - or close relative of - Hoplodoris armata, which if verified would give the species a huge range extension from Japan and the western Pacific. Interestingly, Fahey & Gosliner (2003) in their revision of the genus considered Carminodoris mauritiana (from Mauritius) to be a synonym of H. grandiflora. But they did note there were differences in the reproductive system between Bergh's description for C. mauritiana and their dissections of animals they identified as H. grandiflora. Since they had no specimens of H. armata to study in their revision it still leaves open the possibility that Carminodoris mauritiana is a very old name from H. armata. Unfortunately nothing is ever simple.
Have you seen this animal often? It would be good to get an idea of colour variability.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
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