Dicata odhneri
Schmekel, 1967

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Superfamily: AEOLIDINA
Family: Glaucidae

DISTRIBUTION

Known from the Mediterranean to British Isles, but apparently very rare.

PHOTO

Locality: Baleal, Portugal. Depth: 5 m. Length: 5.6 mm. 30 July 2005. rock, near a shipwreck. Photographer: Joao Pedro Tojal Loia Soares Silva  ,

Animal translucent with a speckling of opaque white all over. The white forms concentrated patches at the base of the cerata and on the head. The cerata are also covered in white speckling, which often concentrates inot a white band in the upper half of each ceras. The white speckling is absent at the translucent tip of each ceras which appears greyish black. The basal half of the rhinophores is translucent clear, while the upper half is bright yellow. The oral tentacles are similarly coloured, but in some specimens yellow pigment can be found down the whole length of the tentacles. The rhinophores are smooth. This aeolid is reported to grow to approximately 13 mm in length.

  • Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (1994) A Field Guide to the Nudibranchs of the British Isles. Immel Publishing: London. 1-143.
  • Schmekel, L (1967)  Dicata odhneri n. sp., n. gen., ein neuer Favorinide (Gastr. Opisthobranchia) aus dem Golf von Neapel. Pubblicazione Stazione Zoologisches Napoli, 35: 263-273.
  • Schmekel, L. & Portmann, A (1982) Opisthobranchia des Mittelmeeres, Nudibranchia und Saccoglossa. Fauna e Flora del Golfo Napoli, 40: 1-410. Springer-Verlag: Berlin
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2005 (August 11) Dicata odhneri Schmekel, 1967. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/dicaodhn

Related messages


Re: Dicata odhneri from Baleal, Portugal

August 13, 2005
From: Juan Lucas Cervera

Dear Bill,
Concerning message #14516. Yes, it's Dicata odhneri.
Lucas.

lucas.cervera@uca.es

Cervera, J.L., 2005 (Aug 13) Re: Dicata odhneri from Baleal, Portugal. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14554

Thanks Lucas,
Bill Rudman

Dicata odhneri from Baleal, Portugal

August 12, 2005
From: Joao Pedro Silva

Dear Bill,

Last week as I was looking for nudibranchs I found this small aeolid. It was under a small piece of shell I happened to pick up from the bottom (only picked it because it was shiny, not because I thought there would be a nudibranch underneath). Any idea on what this might be?

The measurement was taken from the photo, as it was taken with a 1:1 macro lens (Nikonos).

Locality: Baleal, Portugal. Depth: 5 m. Length: 5.6 mm. 30 July 2005. rock, near a shipwreck. Photographer: Joao Pedro Tojal Loia Soares Silva.

Cheers,
Joao Pedro

jpsilva@uwphotographer.net

Silva, J. P., 2005 (Aug 12) Dicata odhneri from Baleal, Portugal. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14516

Dear Joao Pedro,
I am pretty sure this is Dicata odhneri Schmekel, 1967, but I only know that species from photos so hopefully we can get confirmation from a local expert. If I am right, this is another new species for the Forum
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Aug 12). Comment on Dicata odhneri from Baleal, Portugal by Joao Pedro Silva. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14516