Dendrodoris rainfordi
Allan, 1932
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Dendrodorididae
DISTRIBUTION
Known only from Queensland, Australia
PHOTO
Townshend Island side of Canoe Passage, Shoalwater Bay, Central Queensland. September 2002. approx. 17cm long. AMS C415153. Photos: A.C.Miller.
Described from a single preserved specimen, both the dorsal surface and the underside were said to be 'covered with large irregular-sized blister-like tubercles, bearing smaller ones on their surface, and becoming smaller and more congested towards the edges.' I can only assume this is a preservation artifact as the specimen shown photographed here does not have such tubercles, although small irregularities can be seen in the closeup photo of the anterior end in the lower right photo. Its colour pattern however is identical. Allan (1932) likened the colour to that of a colour plate of Kentrodoris annuligera Bergh, a species which is now considered a synonym of Jorunna funebris. The original specimen, from Port Denison, Queensland, was 6.5 inches long preserved [approx 16cm]. Both it and the recently found one illustrated here were found in coastal Queensland.
Reference:
• Allan, J.K. (1932) Australian Nudibranchs. Australian Zoologist, 7(2): 87-105, Pls 4, 5.
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (October 14) Dendrodoris rainfordi Allan, 1932. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/dendrain
Related messages
Dendrodoris rainfordi from Thailand
November 29, 2007
From: Lawrence Neal
Dear Bill,
In response to the message about Dendrodoris rainfordi from the South China Sea [message #21131 ], here are some more pics, this time from the Gulf of Thailand. This is a small specimen. I've also seen larger ones in the same area with a much darker background colouration.
Locality: Koh Sark, Pattaya, 10 m, Thailand, Gulf of Thailand, 10 February 2007, Mixed sand and mud in a sheltered bay. Length: Approx. 25 mm. Photographer: Lawrence Neal.
Lawrence Neal
lorenzo_n@yahoo.com
Dear Lawrence,
Thanks very much. Since the find in the South China Sea, I guess its not surprising that it occurs in other places far from the coast of Queensland, but without interested photographers reporting in, we would never know.
It is certainly interesting that smaller animals may lack the dark colouration between the brown rings. It make the animal look superficially similar to Jorunna funebris. I know that species has a distinctively different anatomy and bristle-like caryophyllidia all over the mantle but it may be worth our while to check some of the early names which are considered synonyms of Jorunna funebris to see if they perhaps refer to D. rainfordi. Mind you, if the specimens no longer exist, we may never know.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Huge range extension from Dendrodoris rainfordi
November 23, 2007
From: Sabine Rock
We found this quite solid and speedy nudibranch on a muck dive of Pulau Redang, Malaysia. The art work of each individual little 'treasure map' on its back is wonderful and fascinating. Could you provide us with a name?
Locality: Pulau Redang, 18 meters, Malaysia, South China Sea, 19 October 2007, muck. Length: 12 cm. Photographer: Sabine Rock.
Many thanks and
Best wishes
Sabine
sabine@streamyx.com
Rock, S., 2007 (Nov 23) Huge range extension from Dendrodoris rainfordi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21131Dear Sabine,
This is Dendrodoris rainfordi which was described from coastal Queensland, Australia in 1932 and not reported again until 70 years later with two photos being posted on the Forum - also from Queensland. So your animal is a very interesting record extending the known geographic range of the species from Queensland to Malaysia.
Your find makes me wonder if it is known in the NW Pacific perhaps under a different name, but I can't recall one.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Dendrodoris rainfordi from Moreton Bay, Queensland
April 23, 2003
From: Nerida Wilson
Hi Bill,
I thought you may be interested in this record of Dendrodoris rainfordi.
It was caught in a seine net (yes, the sampling was for fish, not nudis!) on the sandy, vegetation-free banks of Bullock Creek - which is located in Pumicestone Passage, Moreton Bay, Queensland. 16 July 2002, water 15 degrees. The nudibranch was measured at 12cm total length and was released at site of capture.
Cheers
Nerida
nwilson@marine.uq.edu.au
Wilson, N., 2003 (Apr 23) Dendrodoris rainfordi from Moreton Bay, Queensland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9701Thanks Nerida,
- and please thank the fishos for taking a photo. I am surprised how few records there are of this fairly large animal. I have included a close-up of the mantle to show the pattern. It looks like the notes I take at a boring meeting - every little pattern is different!
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Dendrodoris rainfordi Allan, 1932
October 16, 2002
From: Alison Miller
Bill,
This specimen was found on a recent trip to Shoalwater Bay in Central Queensland. It was located on a rocky shoal at LWS on the Townshend Island side of Canoe Passage, September 2002. We tentatively gave it the name Dendrodoris rainfordi Allan, 1932. Would you be able to confirm the i.d.?
The specimen was approx. 17cm long. AMS C.415153. Photos: A.C.Miller.
Alison Miller
alisonm@austmus.gov.au
Dear Alison,
This is a very interesting find. It is only the second record I know of it since it was originally described. Joyce Allan (1932), in her original description, compared it to Jorunna funebris, and apart from the lack of caryophyllidia on its back it certainly looks like that species, at least in the original painting which I have copied here (Plate 4, figs 14, 15).
However from its general body shape and mouth parts it is clearly a species of Dendrodoris. From the bright orange faecal pellet you captured for posterity (lower left photo) this animal was feeding on an orange sponge.
• Allan, J.K. (1932) Australian Nudibranchs. Australian Zoologist, 7(2): 87-105, Pls 4, 5.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
