Acanthodoris lutea
MacFarland, 1925
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Onchidorididae
PHOTO
Duxbury Reef, Marin County, California, USA. Photo: Ian Tait
This striking acanthodorid, with its orange to red orange dorsum speckled with lemon yellow flecks, reaches 30 mm in length (Behrens, 1991; personal observations) and ranges from Cape Arago, Oregon (Goddard, 1997) to northern Baja California, Mexico (Farmer, 1967). It releases a distinct odor of sandlewood when handled, and Morris et al. (1980) report that Acanthodoris lutea “secretes a material toxic to other animals confined in the same container.” Like its congeners, A. nanaimoensis and A. rhodoceras, A. lutea feeds on the fleshy encrusting ctenostome bryozoan, Alcyonidium sp. (Goddard, 1998). Its mode of larval development is unknown.
References:
• Behrens, D.W. (1991) Pacific Coast Nudibranchs. Sea Challengers: Monterey, California.
• Farmer, W. (1967) Notes on the Opisthobranchia of Baja California, Mexico, with range extensions – II. The Veliger, 9: 340-342.
• Goddard, J.H.R. (1997) Range extensions of eight northeastern Pacific nudibranchs. Opisthobranch Newsletter, 23: 13.
• Goddard, J.H.R. (1998) A summary of the prey of nudibranch mollusks from Cape Arago, Oregon. Opisthobranch Newsletter, 24: 11-14.
• MacFarland, F. M. (1925) The Acanthodorididae of the California coast. Nautilus, 39(2): 49-65.
• MacFarland, F. M. (1926) The Acanthodorididae of the California coast. Nautilus, 39(3): 94-103, pls. 2-3.
• Morris, R.H., D.P. Abbott & E.C. Haderlie (1980) Intertidal Invertebrates of California. Stanford University Press: Stanford, California.
Goddard, J., 2003 (January 12) Acanthodoris lutea MacFarland, 1925. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/acanlute
Related messages
Acanthodoris lutea from Washington State
November 24, 2006
From: Lowell Thomson
I recently identified a nudibranch from Sund Rock (Hood Canal, Washington State, USA) as a "White Spotted Sea Goddess." (Doriopsilla albopunctata)
Locality: Sund Rock, approx. 30 fsw, Washington State, USA, Hood Canal (Pacific Ocean), 25 October 2006, On a rock wall. Length: approx. 2 inches. Photographer: Lowell Thomson.
Looking at my picture, and the pictures in both Lamb and Hanby's "Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest" and Behrens and Hermosillo's "Eastern Pacific Nudibranchs ", my ID seems reasonable... But here's my issue. Behrens and Hermosillo write, "Mendocino, CA to Punta Eugenia, Baja California, Mexico." Lamb and Hanby write, "s. BC to n. Mexico" and "...this nudibranch was only recently found north of California."
I submitted this question to NorthwestDiver.com and it was suggested I ask on the Slug Forum.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Lowell Thomson
scubadiver@huskychemist.org
Thomson, L.A., 2006 (Nov 24) Acanthodoris lutea from Washington State. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18486Hi Lowell
Your identification was close, but this species is actually, Acanthodoris lutea. The key differences are that your critter has very tall papillae on the dorsum (Doriopsilla has very low tubercles) and very long rhinophores with brown tips.
Doripsilla is a porostome dorid, meaning it has no pronounced head with oral tentacles and it lacks radula teeth. If you had turned your animal over you would have seen its head.
With all the reports we are getting about the terrible environmental conditions in Hood Canal, it is good to see something is still alive.
Best wishes,
Dave Behrens
Acanthodoris lutea from S. California
February 22, 2005
From: Jim Lyle
Hi Bill.
I noticed that you only have one image of Acanthodoris lutea on the site. Here's a specimen that we found off of Palos Verdes Peninsula, near Los Angeles.
Locality: Palos Verdes Peninsula (near Los Angeles), California, USA. Depth: 20 meters. Length: 10 mm. 19 July 2004. On a ship wreck, rocky bottom. Photographer: Jim Lyle
Best wishes,
Jim Lyle
jlyle@scubadiving.com
Lyle, J.L., 2005 (Feb 22) Acanthodoris lutea from S. California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13193
Thanks Jim,
I have included a close-up alongside to show thr rhinophores and the mantle papillae.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Acanthodoris lutea from California
January 15, 2003
From: Jeff Goddard
Hi Bill,
Here is a photograph and some information on Acanthodoris lutea, one of my favourite dorids from the Pacific coast of North America. The photograph was taken by Ian Tait of an individual found in December in the late '90's at Duxbury Reef in Marin County.
Owing to the recent birth of our twin sons, I've barely been able to keep up with the Forum, let alone contribute. But now the two little guys are starting to sleep on a more regular basis, so I hope to get back in the loop. Also, I don't think it will be long before Ziggy and Will are out in the tidepools, making their own discoveries. They already seem to really enjoy the outdoors.
Best wishes for the new year,
Jeff Goddard
goddard@lifesci.ucsb.edu
Goddard, 2003 (Jan 15) Acanthodoris lutea from California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8864Dear Jeff,
Thanks for the information on A. lutea. It's good to be able to post a new species page on the Forum without having to prepare the background information. And good luck with your next generation - although I suspect that to start with, your twins will be eating their new discoveries rather than describing them!
Best wishes
Bill Rudman
