Dendronotus dalli
Bergh 1879

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DENDRONOTINA
Family: Dendronotidae

DISTRIBUTION

North Pacific - Bering Sea to Puget Sound, Washington, USA.

PHOTO

Upper: 5 Fingers Islands, Alaska, July 2002. Depth approx 25 m, Length approx 80 mm. Photo: Clinton Bauder. Lower: Sucia Island, San Juan Islands, Boundary Pass, Washington, USA. NW Pacific. Depth: 70'. Length: 3-4". 09 Sept 2005. Rocky slope with small fern-like plants. Photographer: Jack Connick

The animal is translucent white to pink, with all cerata, papillae and other processes tipped with white. In rare cases animals can also be covered in small opaque white spots. There are usually 6-7 extensively branched short cerata. The oral veil has 4, or more often, 5 stout, extensively branched papillae along the edge of the oral veil. The animal can grow to about 14cm but is usually 4-5 cm. It is reported (Robilliard, 1970) to live in close association with the hydroids Abietinaria rigida and A. amphora, which they almost ceratinly feed on.

  • Bergh, L.S.R. (1879) On the nudibranchiate gasteropod Mollusca of the North Pacific Ocean, with special reference to those of Alaska. Scientific Results Exploration Alaska. 1(Art. 5, pt. 1): 127-188. (Pls.1-8)
  • Bergh, L.S.R. (1879) On the nudibranchiate gasteropod Mollusca of the North Pacific Ocean, with special reference to those of Alaska, part 1. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 31: 71-132, Pls.1-8.
  • Robilliard, G. A. 1970. The systematics and some aspects of the ecology of the genus Dendronotus. The Veliger, 12(4): 433-479, pls. 63-64.
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (October 25) Dendronotus dalli Bergh 1879. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/denddall

Related messages


Re: Dendronotus dalli from NW Pacific [1]

October 6, 2005
From: Jack Connick

Bill;
Good call on the third photo [message #14898]. I had it as Dendronotus dalli only because of the white tips, but it does appear different. I have posted another photo of it in a separate message [#14922] . I think it is D. diversicolor.
Jack Connick

JackConnick@Yahoo.com

Connick, J., 2005 (Oct 6) Re: Dendronotus dalli from NW Pacific [1]. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14927

Thanks Jack,
Bill Rudman

Dendronotus dalli from NW Pacific

October 4, 2005
From: Jack Connick


Dear Bill
Looked in your excellent collection and I saw Dendronotus dalli  missing so I'm sending you some photos. These were taken in the Pacific Northwest in the San Juan Islands.

Locality:  Sucia Island, San Juan Islands, Boundary Pass, Washington, USA. NW Pacific. Depth: 70'. Length: approx 6". 09 Sept 2005. Rocky slope with small fern-like plants. Photographer: Jack Connick

Jack

JackConnick@Yahoo.com

Connick, J., 2005 (Oct 4) Dendronotus dalli from NW Pacific. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14898

Dear Jack,
Thanks very much. I had this species on the Forum but had listed it hesitantly as Dendronotus cf. dalli because I wasn't 100% sure of the identity of the sole photo. Your photos certainly convince me. The fern-like plants you mention are in fact hydroid colonies. They are animals, closely related to sea anemones and jellyfish, and are the food of many aeolid nudibranchs and also species of Dendronotus. Dave Behrens in Pacific Coast Nudibranchs says this species feeds on 'stalked bryozoans' but your photos seem to suggest otherwise and Gordon Robilliard (1970) reports it usually being found in association with the hydroids Abietinaria rigida and A. amphora.

Of your 3 photos, the third one, which is to the right of my comments, is almost certainly another species. The white line on the 'tail' suggests either Dendronotus albus or D. diversicolor.

  • Robilliard, G.A. (1970) The systematics and some aspects of the ecology of the genus Dendronotus (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia). The Veliger, 12(4): 433-479.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Oct 4). Comment on Dendronotus dalli from NW Pacific by Jack Connick. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14898

Dendronotus dalli from Alaska

August 5, 2002
From: Clinton Bauder

Hi Bill,
This is Dendronotus dalli. This was shot at one of the 5 Fingers Islands in Alaska, July 2002. Depth was about 25m and the animal is about 80mm in length.

Clinton

gecko1@apple.com

Bauder, C., 2002 (Aug 5) Dendronotus dalli from Alaska. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7682

Thanks Clinton,
Bill Rudman