Ardeadoris egretta
Rudman, 1984

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Chromodorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Tropical western Pacific and possibly the Indian Ocean.

PHOTO

Lizard Is, Great Barrier Reef, North Queensland, 1974. Photo:G.Biddle

One of a number of white species of chromodorid, with a yellow border, discussed in a series of papers listed below. It grows to at least 50mm long.

References:
• Rudman, W.B. (1984) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: a review of the genera. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 81: 115-273.
• Rudman, W.B. (1985) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: Chromodoris aureomarginata, C. verrieri and C. fidelis colour groups. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 83: 241-299.
• Rudman, W.B. (1990) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: further species of Glossodoris, Thorunna and the Chromodoris aureomarginata colour group. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 100(3): 263-326.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (January 16) Ardeadoris egretta Rudman, 1984. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/ardeegre

Related messages


Ardeadoris egretta from Philipines

July 4, 2007
From: Natasja Vandeperre

Hello Bill,

As you don't have that many records of Ardeadoris egretta, I send you this picture taken by a friend of mine.

Locality: Cebu, Philipines, January 2007. Photographer: Patrick Van Moer.

Natasja Vandeperre

postmaster@naaktslakken.be

Natasja Vandeperre, 2007 (Jul 4) Ardeadoris egretta from Philipines. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20100

Thanks Natasja,

Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Jul 4). Comment on Ardeadoris egretta from Philipines by Natasja Vandeperre. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20100

Ardeadoris egretta from Malaysia

March 7, 2006
From: Stephane Ores

Hi Bill
I saw this beautiful Ardeadoris egretta in Sipadan, Malaysia

Locality: Sipadan Island, 30 m, Malaysia, Celebes sea, 21 February 2006, Good visibility. Length: 12 cm. Photographer: Stephane Ores.

Stephane Ores

stephane.ores@neuf.fr

Ores, S., 2006 (Mar 7) Ardeadoris egretta from Malaysia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16031

Thanks Stephane,
Bill Rudman

Ardeadoris egretta from SE Sulawesi

December 5, 2005
From: Linda Ianniello

You don't have a record of this species from Indonesia; I recently found two. One at Tomia Island, shown here, and another at Karang Koka.

Locality: Wakatobi dive resort, Roma dive site, Tomia Island, SE Sulawesi, Indonesia. November 9, 2005. Coral garden. Photographer: Linda Ianniello

Regards,
Linda I.

lindai1@bellsouth.net

Ianniello, L., 2005 (Dec 5) Ardeadoris egretta from SE Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15343

Thanks Linda,
Bill Rudman

Ardeadoris egretta on the Sunshine Coast

December 2, 2003
From: Gary Cobb


Hi Bill!
Please find atttached a photo of Ardeadoris egretta I found while diving at Old Woman Island, The Wall, off Mooloolaba, Southern Queensland Australia. This one was quite large and very white. It stood out quite vividly on the wall.
Depth: 9m
Temp: 22C
Length: 110mm
Date: 29 November 2003

Gary Cobb

gary@cobb.com.au

Cobb, G., 2003 (Dec 2) Ardeadoris egretta on the Sunshine Coast. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11561

Thanks Gary,
I wonder if the sponge it is crawling on is significant. This is a species we don't know anything about its food so it would be good to get a photo of it actually feeding. Perhaps if you see it again on this sponge you could check out signs of feedings - a scar close by on the sponge? or a white oral tube everted out if its mouth onto the sponge?
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Dec 2). Comment on Ardeadoris egretta on the Sunshine Coast by Gary Cobb. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11561

Re: Ardeadoris egretta from Solomons

August 1, 2003
From: Bruce Potter

Dear Bill,
Regarding the Ardeadoris egretta in my recent message. The answer to whether it showed any interest in the red sponge is no. It just wandered accross it, and continued off onto the sand on the other side.
Regards
Bruce Potter.

bruce.potter@adventist.org.sb

Potter, B., 2003 (Aug 1) Re: Ardeadoris egretta from Solomons. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10645

Thanks Bruce,
Bill Rudman

Ardeadoris egretta from the Solomon Ids

July 31, 2003
From: Bruce Potter

Dear Bill,
Last Sunday 27 July 2003, I found this beautiful Ardeadoris egretta on my usual Sunday morning dive site on the outskirts on Honiara.

It was about 85mm long, at about 13m deep on coral and rubble.

As an indication of how prolific this site is, I also found on the same dive, Hypselodoris bullocki, Risbecia godeffroyana, Risbecia tryoni, Chromodoris leopardus, Phyllidia varicosa, Phyllidia tula, Phyllidiella pustulosa, Notodoris minor, plus the velutinid Coriocella nigra
Regards,
Bruce Potter.

bruce.potter@adventist.org.sb

Dear Bruce,
It sounds like a very satisfying dive. I wonder if Ardeadoris egretta was interested in the red sponge as food or just as something to walk over.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Ardeadoris egretta from Solomon Ids

December 6, 2002
From: Bruce Potter

Dear Bill,
I found a pair of these beautiful Ardeadoris egretta last Sunday. They were at about 8 meters, on a coral and rubble site just on the outskirts of Honiara, Solomon Islands. They were about 55mm long.

I never cease to be amazed at how you can dive a large area, covering hundreds of square meters, and find only two of something BUT they will be together.
Regards,
Bruce Potter.

bruce.potter@adventist.org.sb

Potter, B., 2002 (Dec 6) Ardeadoris egretta from Solomon Ids. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8521

Thanks Bruce,
I guess their meeting place is their food. And I suspect that once mature animals do 'find' each other, they tend to stay together. It would certainly be an interesting study, but as tagging these animals is difficult it would need to be done with a species which has a colour pattern which varies enough for individuals to be recognised over a period of time.
Cheers,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Dec 6). Comment on Ardeadoris egretta from Solomon Ids by Bruce Potter. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8521

Ardeadoris egretta from Pohnpei

January 20, 2001
From: Scott Johnson

Hi Bill,

Another species we ran across on a recent trip to Pohnpei, eastern Caroline Islands, is Ardeadoris egretta. We had also observed this species there a few years ago. The attached photo, by Jeanette Johnson, shows one of the two approximately 80mm specimens observed this time around. This is another species we have not yet encountered in the Marshall Islands.

Scott

johnson@kmr.ll.mit.edu

Johnson, S., 2001 (Jan 20) Ardeadoris egretta from Pohnpei. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3520

Thanks Scott,
The known distribution of this beautiful animals continues to expand.
Bill Rudman

Ardeadoris egretta from Philippines

January 16, 1999
From: Erwin Koehler

Here is Ardeadoris egretta Rudman, 1984, Housereef, Panglao Is., Philippines,
Nov. 1998.
Erwin

E.Koehler@deutschepost.de

Koehler, E., 1999 (Jan 16) Ardeadoris egretta from Philippines. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/475