Doto maculata
(Montagu, 1804)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DENDRONOTINA
Family: Dotidae

DISTRIBUTION

Western coasts of the British Isles, but information on distribution probably confused by identification problems between this and similarly coloured species.

PHOTO

South Gortein, Loch Fyne. Scotland. Sea loch on west coast of Scotland. Depth: 16 m. Length: 6 mm approx. 28 November 2004. on rocky reef. Water temperature 11 degC. Photographer: Jim Anderson.

A small species similar in colour to the Doto coronata group of species, usually less than 9 mm long. Has 4 to 5 pairs of cerata, each with 3 to 4 circles of elongate rounded tubercles. The animal is translucent white with dark spots, described as crimson (Thompson & Brown, 1984) or maroon-red (Picton & Morrow, 1994). The tubercles are tipped with a dark spot, except for the terminal tubercle. It differs in colour from similarly coloured species such as Doto coronata and Doto eirana in usually lacking a dark reddish spot on the tip of the terminal ceratal tubercles, and lacking reddish colouration on the inside of each ceratal base, and from the rhinophore sheath.

It feeds exclusively on the hydroid Halopteris catharina (see Picton & Morrow, 1994) .

  • Picton, B. E., & Christine Morrow. (1994) A field guide to the
    nudibranchs of the British Isles,     143 pp. Immel Publishing
  • Thompson, T. E. & Brown. G.H. (1984) Biology of opisthobranch molluscs, vol. 2,  229 pp. Ray Society, no. 156.
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2005 (January 31) Doto maculata (Montagu, 1804). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/dotomacu

Related messages


Doto maculata from Scotland

January 31, 2005
From: Jim Anderson

The accompanying image shows Doto maculata to add to the Forum.

The ID has been verified by Dr. Bernard Picton.

Locality: South Gortein, Loch Fyne. Scotland. Sea loch on west coast of Scotland. Depth: 16 m. Length: 6 mm approx. 28 November 2004. on rocky reef. Water temperature 11 degC. Photographer: Jim Anderson

Regards,
Jim A

jander4454@blueyonder.co.uk

Anderson, J.B., 2005 (Jan 31) Doto maculata from Scotland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12942

Dear Jim,
Thanks for this. The many species of Doto from the North Atlantic with a colour pattern like this, make me very hesitant to identify the similarly coloured species from the western Pacific until we know much more about their biology and colour variation
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Jan 31). Comment on Doto maculata from Scotland by Jim Anderson. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12942