Doto sp. 9
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DENDRONOTINA
Family: Dotidae
PHOTO
Pulau Hantu, an island south of the mainland Singapore. Hantu Besar West, submerged reef, outer part Depth: 12m, Found on giant hydroids. 21 November-December, 2004. Photographer: Paul Tan
Various books have recently identified this species of Doto, with a yellowish body and black-tipped tubercles, as Doto bella Baba, 1938, a species described from Japan, but which we know little about. From the original description we can see that the rhinophore sheath was smooth and the rhinophores had a black mark halfway up the posterior edge. Other features such as yellowish body and black-tipped tubercles are found in many species. The species, which I am temporarily calling Doto sp. 9, appears to have tubercles along the edge of the rhinophore sheath, lacks the black mark on the rhinophore, and can gretaly extend the volume and length of the terminal tubercle on each ceras. It also appears to feed on a large campanulariid? hydroid.
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Baba, K. (1938) Opisthobranchia of Kii, Middle Japan. Journal of the Dept of Agriculture, Kyushu Imperial University, 6(1): 1-19.
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Coleman, N. 2001. 1001 Nudibranchs - Catalogue of Indo-Pacific Sea Slugs, Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic Pty Ltd. 144pp.
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Susuki, K. 2000. Opisthobranchs of Izu Peninsula. Hankyu Communications, Japan. 178 pp.
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Tonozuka, T. 2003. Opisthobranchs of Bali and Indonesia. Hankyu Communications, Japan. 165 pp.
Rudman, W.B., 2005 (January 31) Doto sp. 9 [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/dotosp9
Related messages
Doto from Singapore
February 1, 2005
From: Debby Ng
Dear Dr Rudman
Uma Sachidhanandam referred me to you regarding the identification of the nudibranch attached with this email. It sits on a giant hydroid. Several people have guessed this as Thecacera picta because I think a certain guide book features a similar-looking animal.
The nudi was photographed in Pulau Hantu, Singapore, an island south of the mainland by Paul Tan. The depth was appx. 10 m, and the time was 12:30pm, on 14 Nov 2004. The nudi's are laying eggs upon a giant hydroid.
Heaps thanks,
Debby
The Hantu Blog
billr@seaslugforum.net
Dear Debby,
This is a nudibranch but not Thecacera. It is a species of Doto, almost certainly what has been called in various picture books, Doto bella. I guess it feeds on this hydroid. As I discuss on the accompanying Fact Sheet, I don't think this is Doto bella. It is probably an unnamed species, but as we know from the species of the North Atlantic, we need to know not only about the anatomy of these species but more about colour variation and food choice before we can sensibly differentiate them. Unfortunately in the past too many species have been named on poor descriptions based on one or two specimens. At this stage I will call it Doto sp. 9.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Doto sp. 9 from Singapore
February 1, 2005
From: Debby Ng
Dear Dr Rudman
Thanks for getting back so promptly! [message 12800] we're thrilled by your answers! Here are some more of Paul Tan's photos.
Locality: Pulau Hantu, an island south of the mainland Singapore. Hantu Besar West, submerged reef, outer part Depth: 12m, Found on giant hydroids. 21 November 2004 Photographer: Paul Tan
Thanks again for ur kind assistance.
Warmest regards,
Debby
billr@austmus.gov.au
Dear Debby,
Thanks for these extra photos. This species is remarkable in how large the terminal tubercle on each ceras can become. It also seems to show that the rhinophores sheath has tubercles around the edge - mimicking the shape of the cerata it seems. I am pretty sure from these photos it is not the species Doto bella that Baba described from Japan. Unfortunately I have not seen a photo or recent description of an animal from Japan that matches Baba's description.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
