Glossodoris 'sp. A.'
Rudman, 1986
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Chromodorididae
DISTRIBUTION
Known only from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.
PHOTO
Little Kelso Reef 18-031, 18 deg 22'S, 146 deg 59'E., 12m, March 1998, 70 mm long. PHOTO: Jim Cruise.
RELATED TOPIC
I described a specimen of this species as 'Glossodoris sp. A' in 1986, but was not willing to name it from a single specimen. This second specimen found by Jim Cruise (see message below), seems to confirm its nondescript pinkish brown colour and general body shape. It is one of the 'G. atromarginata group' of species with a high, very rigid muscular body, with a narrow radular ribbon. In Jim Cruise's photo you can see paler translucent patches along the rounded mantle edge which mark the position of the mantle glands. The radular morphology is quite similar to that of Glossodoris dendrobranchia which is also known from only a few specimens. I suspect this is a good species but more specimens are needed before we can confirm its status.
References:
• Rudman, W.B. (1986a) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West
Pacific: The genus Glossodoris Ehrenberg (= Casella, H. & A. Adams). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 86(2): 101-184.
• Rudman, W.B. (1990b) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: further species of Glossodoris, Thorunna and the Chromodoris aureomarginata colour group. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 100(3): 263-326.
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (July 18) Glossodoris 'sp. A.' Rudman, 1986. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/glosspa
Related messages
Re: Glossodoris sp. A
October 3, 1999
From: Jim Cruise
Dear Dr Rudman,
I am regularly visiting the site and am astounded by the amount of traffic; congratulations on the good work.
A few months ago I sent you 2 slides, one of Thecacera picta, and one of a large pink Glossodoris sp.. I realise that to ID an animal, a specimen is really the only way to do it. However, I would query the big pink Glossodoris is G. dendrobranchia on the basis that I have found and photographed many G. dendrobranchia in the same area and same reef and they are the usual brown and white colouration.
Jim Cruise
jim.cruise@env.qld.gov.au
Cruise, J., 1999 (Oct 3) Re: Glossodoris sp. A. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1381Dear Jim,
Thanks for the message. As I said at the top of the page, I thought this animal was distinct from G. dendrobranchia, but am still waiting for some more specimens to confirm it. A nondescript colour, such as this species has, makes me a little more cautious about naming it as a new species, than I possibly would be with one with a bright and distinctly different colour pattern. Your observations on G. dendrobranchia are very useful as they help to confirm the 'normal' colour pattern of that species. If you come across a specimen or two of the pink Glossodoris sp. A, I would be very grateful for some specimens.
Bill Rudman.
Glossodoris from Great Barrier Reef
July 18, 1999
From: Jim Cruise
Dear Bill,
I think this is a species of Glossodoris. I would be pleased if you could ID this one.
Details are: Little Kelso Reef 18-031, 18 deg 22'S, 146 deg 59'E., 12m, March 1998, 70 mm long. PHOTO: Jim Cruise.
Jim Cruise.
jim.cruise@env.qld.gov.au
Cruise, J., 1999 (Jul 18) Glossodoris from Great Barrier Reef. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1072Dear Jim,
This is an interesting find. I described this as 'Glossodoris sp. A' in 1986, while reviewing the genus, but as I had only one specimen I was unwilling to give it a name. A few more specimens would be useful to determine its reproductive system and see whether there are sufficient grounds to consider it a distinct species.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.
