Aldisa cooperi
Robilliard & Baba, 1972
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Dorididae
DISTRIBUTION
Alaska to California
PHOTO
Cape Arago, Oregon, USA, June 1981. Photo: Jeff Goddard.
Yellow to orange with scattered minute black specks. There are a line of larger black spots down the dorsal midline netween the gills and the rhinophores. Mantle covered with rough low tubercles. Grows to about 25mm.
Reference:
• Robilliard, G.A. & Baba, K. (1972). Aldisa sanguinea cooperi subsp. nov. from the coast of the state of Washington, with notes on its feeding and spawning habits (Nudibranchia, Dorididae, Aldisinae). Pub. Seto Marine Biol. Lab., 19(6, March): 409-414
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (October 16) Aldisa cooperi Robilliard & Baba, 1972. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/aldicoop
Related messages
Aldisa cooperi from Carmel California
May 11, 2009
From: Clinton Bauder
Concerning message #17063:
Hi Bill,
We've suddenly been seeing quite a lot of Aldisa cooperi at Point Lobos. Until recently it had only been known as far north as very northern California but Ed Bierman apparently found one one on the Big Sur Coast last year.
Locality: Point Lobos State Reserve, 40 meters, California, USA, Pacific, 04 April 2009, Rocky reef with encrusting sponges. Length: 30 mm. Photographer: Clinton Bauder.
Anyway, not sure if this is a recent trend or if nobody had noticed it previously but this slug is quite clearly well established in central California. Nearly all of the specimens we've seen are on this distinctive red bumpy sponge which we've also seen Aldisa sanguinea on.
Clinton
gecko1@apple.com
Bauder, Clinton, 2009 (May 11) Aldisa cooperi from Carmel California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22411
Thanks Clinton,
I guess this rather characteristic looking sponge is Anthoarcuata graceae which is reported as a preferred food in earlier Forum messages. I note that Gustafson & Andersen (1985) in a report on nudibranchs retaining chemicals from their food noted that they usually found Aldisa cooperi nestled in this sponge.
Gustafson, K. & Andersen, R. J. (1985) Chemical studies of British Columbia nudibranchs. Tetrahedron, 41 (6): 1101-1108
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Aldisa cooperi from Korea
July 10, 2006
From: Dong Bum Koh
Dear Bill,
Here are some photos what I think is Aldisa cooperi with its egg ribbons from South Korea.
Locality: Mun Am. Gwang Won Prov., [E 129°5' N 37°3'] 15m, Korea, East Sea (cold sea), 02 July 2006, -. Length: Approx. 20mm. Photographer: Im Sung Hwang.
Best regards,
Dong Bum Koh
drkoh@seasee.co.kr
Koh, D.B., 2006 (Jul 10) Aldisa cooperi from Korea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17063
Dear Koh,
This is an interesting find. I agree that this is Aldisa cooperi, The egg ribbon looks very similar to that illustrated from Japan by Baba, Hamatani & Hisai (1956 - as Aldisa sanguinea). Robilliard & Baba (1972) report it from all parts of Japan and Nth America from Alaska to California. Your find from Sth Korea is an interesting addition to its distribution.
The red sponge is most probably its food sponge.
- Baba, K., Hamatani, I. & Hisai, K. (1956) Observations on the spawning habits of some of the Japanese Opisthobranchia. 2. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 5: 209-220. (Pls.24-26)
- Robilliard, G.A. & Baba, K. (1972) Aldisa sanguinea cooperi subspec. nov. from the coast of the State of Washington, with notes on its feeding and spawning habits (Nudibranchia; Doridididae: Aldisinae). Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 19: 409-414.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Rostanga pulchra from British Columbia
November 8, 2005
From: Marli Wakeling
Hi Bill,
After comparing this animal [message #15178] with my earlier message [#6481], I think you are right that this is Aldisa cooperi. The description that I have states that Rostanga pulchra may have brown or black specks, hence the confusion. I have a question regarding the "bumps" that characterise many dorids from British Columbia. What are caryophyllidia tubercles as opposed to "regular" tubercles, and can we tell the difference from a photograph?
Cheers,
Marli
scubamarli@gmail.com
Wakeling, M., 2005 (Nov 8) Re: Rostanga pulchra from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15186Dear Marli,
I had forgotten you earlier photo of Aldisa cooperi. If you have photos of Aldisa cooperi and its egg ribbon, and Rostanga pulchra - from shallower water -, and its egg ribbon, they would be nice to have for comparison.
Concerning caryophyllidia. Have a look at the photos of Rostanga orientalis and R. calumus on their Fact Sheets, as they show the 'furry' appearance of animals with caryophyllidia very well. A close-up can be seen on the Fact Sheet for Jorunna pardus. Caryophillida are papillae with a circlet of sharp spicules around the tip. The caryophyllidia are usually packed close together so you can't see the mantle surface, unlike the two Aldisa species, where the tubercles are relatively sparse, and the mantle slin clearly visible.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Rostanga pulchra from British Columbia
November 5, 2005
From: Marli Wakeling
Hi Bill,
I'm glad Jeff verified the ID of the Aldisa sanguinea [message #15173]; I did think at first it was Rostanga pulchra, as they are common in the area. They are usually quite a bit smaller however in this locale, and the egg ribbon is thinner. So, here's a Rostanga pulchra from the same area. Although I have seen them in deep red, in Campbell River, they are almost always bright orange.
Locality: Steep Island, Campbell River. British Columbia, Canada. Pacific coast. Depth: 45 feet. Length: 15 mm. 08 October 2005. Rocky Wall. Photographer: Marli Wakeling
Cheers,
Marli
scubamarli@gmail.com
Wakeling, M., 2005 (Nov 5) Rostanga pulchra from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15178
Dear Marli,
I threw Rostanga pulchra into the discussion about your last animal [message #15161] even though the mantle didn't look quite right, because I thought that both the Aldisa species on the Nth American west coast have dark spots in the midline. I am glad we have had such a quick reponse.
However, I suspect this is not Rostanga pulchra either. The spaced tubercles are like the mantle of your A. sanguinea, and the yellow orange colour and row of small brown spots down the midline, make me think this is Aldisa cooperi. It would be nice to have a photo of the egg ribbon for comparison. Unfortunately the only photos of Rostanga pulchra I have on the Forum don't show the texture of the mantle very well, but if you look at other Rostanga species on the Forum you will see they have a very 'furry' appearance from the bristle-like caryophyllidia which cover their backs.
Brian Penney's message today [#15177] also supports this view, as he never found Rostanga deeper than 5 meters. Obviously I would appreciate some confirmation of my identification
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Aldisa cooperi from British Columbia
March 23, 2002
From: Brian Penney
Bill,
The sponge looks like Anthoarcuata graceae which I have found in Barkley Sound, British Columbia. I've rarely found A. cooperi on anything else.
Cheers,
Brian
bpenney@ualberta.ca
Penney, B., 2002 (Mar 23) Re: Aldisa cooperi from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6519Thanks Brian,
Bill Rudman
Aldisa cooperi from British Columbia
March 22, 2002
From: Marli Wakeling
Hi Bill,
Here is Aldisa cooperi, probably on its food sponge. This is a current ridden site called Dodd narrows, near Nanaimo, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island.
PHOTO: Dodd Narrows, British Columbia
DEPTH: 40 feet
LENGTH: 2 cm.
DATE: Feb. 18, 2001
PHOTO BY: Marli Wakeling
Marli
scubamarli@excite.com
Wakeling, M., 2002 (Mar 22) Aldisa cooperi from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6481Thanks Marli,
Perhaps someone can identify the sponge. It is reported to feed on Anthoarcuata graciae and perhaps Lissodendoryx sophia by Millen & Gosliner (1985).
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
