Hypselodoris kaname
Baba, 1994
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Chromodorididae
DISTRIBUTION
Western Pacific - Japan to New Zealand
PHOTO
UPPER: Holotype of H. koumacensis, Grande Recif de Koumac, N Lagoon, New Caledonia, 45m, 32mm long preserved, 3 Nov 1980, (MNHN, Paris).
LOWER: Poor Knights Islands, NE New Zealand, 48m. April 2001. Photo: Ian Skipworth.
RELATED TOPIC
Anatomy of 'Hypselodoris koumacensis'
In 1995 I described a new species from New Caledonia as Hypselodoris koumacensis on the basis of a single specimen and photograph. Normally I do not describe species on the basis of single specimens but this was so unlike any described species I felt sure it was unnamed. Unfortunately Baba was also preparing a description for Hypselodoris kaname Baba, 1994, which seems to be the same species. Gosliner & Johnson, (1999) consider the two species to be closely related sister species with H. paulinae and H. fucata. H. kaname has been recorded from from Japan to Bali, Indonesia and reported in the Forum from New Zealand. I find it unlikely that Hypselodoris koumacensis, occurring within the range of H. kaname is a distinct species. There are some small differences in radular morphology and external colour. The radular differences concern where the small denticles appear on the lateral teeth. Until we have more specimens to examine we cannot say how significant those differences are. Concerning the colour differences, it seems the photograph of H. koumacensis was overexposed, and the orange brown lines and markings on the mantle were red. If that is so, then Hypselodoris koumacensis is identical in colour to H. kaname. Of the other two species Gosliner & Johnson consider related, H. fucata has only a vaguely similar colour pattern but H. paulinae is either the same species as H. kaname or a very closely related Hawaiian endemic. The main colour difference is that the red on the mantle is in the form of longitudinal streaks and spots rather than lines. Gosliner & Johnson say it lacks a submarginal purple mantle band but it seems the submarginal band in these species is better described as deep red except around the anterior end where it breaks into a series of purple spots. This is clearly seen in Scott Johnson's photos of H. paulinae from Hawaii and Ian Skipworth's of H. kaname from New Zealand. Another identical colour feature is the submarginal purple band on the foot. I feel that H. kaname and H. paulinae are either the same species or very closely related. Without further material I can't be 100% sure, but on the available evidence I feel sure that H. koumacensis is the same as H. kaname.
COLOUR: The mantle is a creamy white to light brown with a pair of irregular red lines which loop around and join together at the back of the gill pocket and anteriorly pass between the rhinophore pockets before joining in an anterior loop. There can also be a red line, or row of spots forming a line down each side of the mantle some distance in from the edge. There is a broad orange-yellow band at the mantle edge and inside this is a red or purplish band with deeper red patches scattered over it. At the anterior end the band moves away from the orange-yellow margin and appears as a row of deep purplish red spots. The rhinophores are red or orange and the translucent white gills are edged with red or orange. The foot is white with red spots or a line, and a diffuse purple submarginal band around the edge of the foot.
References:
• Baba, K. (1995) Descriptions of four new rare or unrecorded species of Hypselodoris (Nudibranchia: Chromodorididae) from Japan. Venus (Jap. Journ. Malac), 53(3): 175-187
• Gosliner, T.M. & Johnson, R.F. (1999) Phylogeny of Hypselodoris (Nudibranchia: Chromodorididae) with a review of the monophyletic clade of Indo-Pacific species, including descriptions of twelve new species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 125: 1-114.
• Rudman, W.B. (1995) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: further species from New Caledonia and the Noumea romeri colour group.
Molluscan Research, 16: 1-43.
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (May 3) Hypselodoris kaname Baba, 1994. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/hypskana
Related messages
Hypselodoris kaname from sthn Queensland, Australia
June 8, 2006
From: Bruce Wilkie
Hi Bill,
I am very excited about finding this animal.I have ID it as Hypselodoris kaname. I hope I am right as there does not appear to be any records from this part of the world. Could you please confirm?
Locality: Shag Rock, Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island., 7 metres, Queensland Australia, Pacific ocean, 03 June 2006, rocky reef with sponges, hard & soft corals . Length: 30mm. Photographer: Bruce Wilkie
Many Thanks,
Bruce Wilkie.
brucedwilkie@yahoo.com.au
Wilkie, B., 2006 (Jun 8) Hypselodoris kaname from sthn Queensland, Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16781
Dear Bruce,
Yes this is H. kaname. We have records from New Caledonia and nthn New Zealand so its good to get a definite record from sthn Queensland.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Hypselodoris kaname from Nth Sulawesi
June 22, 2005
From: Sergey Parinov
Dear Bill,
This is a Hypselodoris kaname from Lembeh strait. Unfortunately I don't remember the dive site.
Locality: Lembeh strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. May 2001. Photographer: Sergey Parinov
Sergey Parinov
www.sergeyphoto.com/underwater/nudibranchs
webmaster@sergeyphoto.com
Sergey Parinov, 2005 (Jun 22) Hypselodoris kaname from Nth Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14110
Dear Sergey,
Thanks for a record of this seldom recorded species,, and in particular for the photo of it on its possible food sponge, which appears to be a species of Dysidea. This is a useful confirmation of another recent record of this species on a sponge [#13157].
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Hypselodoris kaname from North Sulawesi
February 16, 2005
From: Francis & Pirjo Pellet
Dear Bill,
We were really surprised to find this beautiful nudibranch, Hypselodoris kaname, in Makawide 1. This dive site is a sandy slope with patch reef. We found it on this white sponge (ID?) which is probably its food. (There was nothing else to eat!)
Locality: Makavide 1, Lembeh Staits, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Depth: 20 m. Length: 35 mm. 01 October 2004. sandy bottom. Photographer: Francis Pellet.
Best regards
Francis & Pirjo Pellet
pirjo.pellet@free.fr
Pellet, F.& P., 2005 (Feb 16) Hypselodoris kaname from North Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13157
Dear Francis & Pirjo,
Thanks for this interesting record of a fairly rare species. I agree the sponge is almost certainly its food - I've put it on my 'to identify' list.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Hypselodoris kaname from New Zealand
May 11, 2001
From: Ian Skipworth
Hi Bill
Attached are images of a nudibranch I snapped while diving at the Poor Knights Islands on Anzac Day [April, 2001]. Finding this guy got me quite excited because
I have never seen such a thing before and don't recall ever seeing a photo of anything resembling this from NZ waters.
I found him in 48 metres of water on sand/rubble at the bottom of a near
vertical cliff face - The Giant Staircase. I was somewhat narked at the time so I was delighted to find that I had several good photos of him.
After checking all of your Chromodorids, Hypselodoris fucata is pretty close but not quite right I don't think. Looking in Helmet Debelius' Field Guide (1st Ed.) I found a very similar looking slug on page 214 (the middle one) described only as Chromodoris sp. Anyway, you're the expert and I hope you will be able to help me put a name to it.
I note he has a white patch on top of him and as this looks a little out of place, wondered whether this might be a wound of some sort.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Ian
http://www.ianskipworth.com
ian@ianskipworth.com
Skipworth, I., 2001 (May 11) Hypselodoris kaname from New Zealand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4298Dear Ian,
This is indeed a surprise! I am sure it is a species, Hypselodoris kaname Baba, 1994, which was described from Japan just a few years ago and has subsequently been reported from Indonesia. As I discuss at the top of the page it is almost certainly the same as a species I described from New Caledonia, Hypselodoris koumacensis Rudman, 1995, a few months after Baba's name was published.
It is definitely a new record for New Zealand. Considering some of the other tropical species you are finding in the Poor Knights Ids, I won't be too surprised if you discover more new records for New Zealand. Concerning the white patch on its back. I agre that it looks like some fish has had a nibble.
Congratulations on the find
Bill Rudman
