Neodoris chrysoderma
(Angas, 1864)
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Dorididae
DISTRIBUTION
Southern Australia from New South Wales to Western Australia.
PHOTO
UPPER: Coffs Harbour region, New South Wales, December 1990, on food sponge, 30mm long.
LOWER: Solitary Islands, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, March 1988, 14mm long. PHOTOS: Bill Rudman.
Relatively common sublittoral dorid in temperate Australian waters. background colour can range from bright yellow to a quite pale cream colour. Always with rounded white pustules. Grows to about 30mm.
Reference:
• Angas, G.F. (1864). Description d'espèces nouvelles appartenant à plusieurs genres de Mollusques Nudibranches des environs de Port-Jackson (Nouvelles-Galles du Sud), accompagnée de dessins faits d'après nature. Journal de Conchyliologie, 12: 43-70
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (September 29) Neodoris chrysoderma (Angas, 1864). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/neodchry
Related messages
Neodoris chrysoderma - found by mistake?
January 30, 2006
From: Paul McLeod
Dear Dr Bill,
First let me say that as a keen Sydney diver, photographer and nudi afficionado, I have found your site to be the most authoritive and informative I have found anywhere.
Locality: Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Depth: 10 metres. Length: 3 cm
29 January 2006. tidal bay, 500 meters from open ocean. Photographer: Paul McLeod
Time for me to contribute. I was experimenting with my supermacro photo setup at Kurnell (Sydney) recently, and my dive plan was nothing more than to prowl the sea floor to photograph small animals and plants so I could refine the manual focus length I have set up with a plastic rod attached to my camera tray. Long story short, I photographed what I thought at the time was a small yellow and white plant as a convenient check on my manual focus. When I pulled the image up on the computer and looked at it closely, I suspect I might have accidentally photographed a nudibranch I have not seen before around Sydney.
Over the years I have learned to be humble, and if someone tells me that this nudi is actually more common around Sydney that the black-margined glossodoris, but ignorant divers such as myself swim right past this nudi believing it to be a boring plant, then I will take my medicine with a smile.
Any clues?
Thanks,
Paul McLeod
Annandale, Sydney
pgmcleod@optusnet.com.au
McLeod, P.G., 2006 (Jan 30) Neodoris chrysoderma - found by mistake?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15703Dear Paul,
You are not the first person to discover that they had photographed something interesting when they looked at their photos. This is Neodoris chrysoderma. It seems to be found all around the southern coasts of Australia, and sometimes is quite common in New South Wales. However it can be quite rare or absent for years at a time.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Neodoris chrysoderma mating
May 9, 2003
From: Leanne & David Atkinson
Dear Bill,
While organising our nudibranch photos I found this one of Neodoris chrysoderma mating. You don't have a record of them mating on the web site. This nudibranch is occasionally found at Port Stephens. Over one summer season it was in almost plague proportions. This summer we've hardly seen it in the harbour. The mating pair details are:
Date: 31.12.1997
Location: Fly Point, Port Stephens, NSW Australia
Depth: 14m
Time: 10:30am
Tide: High
Temperature: 20 degrees C.
Cheers,
Leanne & David Atkinson
atk@hunterlink.net.au
Atkinson, L. & D., 2003 (May 9) Neodoris chrysoderma mating. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9532Thanks Leanne & David,
Bill Rudman
Neodoris chrysoderma from New South Wales
April 23, 2003
From: Sue Newson
Hi Bill,
I thought you might find these photos of Neodoris chrysoderma interesting.
They are so common here, so I'm ashamed to say that I sometimes swim past without a second glance. These were taken at The Docks, Jervis Bay [New South Wales, Australia] on 27 March 2003 at 20m depth.
Sue
snewson@shoal.net.au
Thanks Sue,
We know so little about even the most common nudibranchs, that any information is welcome
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Neodoris chrysoderma from Jervis Bay, NSW
April 20, 2001
From: Des Paroz
Hi Bill
Here's a photo of Neodoris chrysoderma, taken at The Docks, Jervis Bay on 1 April 2001. Depth was around 18m, and the temp was 21C.
Looking at the other message from Erik Schloegl about this species, I think I may have a photo of N. chrysoderma feeding. I'll check through my photos and let you know if I do.
It's noted as relatively common in New South Wales waters, yet to memory, I have not seen it in Sydney or Illawara. Yet it was abundant at Jervis Bay, at at least 3 different sites (Bowen Wall, The Nursery and The Docks).
Best regards
Des
des@paroz.com
Paroz, D., 2001 (Apr 20) Neodoris chrysoderma from Jervis Bay, NSW. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4168Dear Des,
Thanks for the photo, and yes a photo of it feeding would be of interest. I have records of it from as far north in New South Wales as Coffs Harbour (see photo at top of page) and it certainly has been found in the Sydney region. I guess they are like many nudibranchs - never there when you go looking for them.
best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Neodoris chrysoderma from New South Wales
September 30, 1999
From: Erik Schloegl
Dear Bill,
I've been looking at the Sea Slug Forum's species list, trying to find a species that I've photographed and (tentatively) identified, but which isn't on the list. It's not easy - there's already a very comprehensive set of species there. But this is a candidate: Neodoris chrysoderma (length approx. 3cm), photographed on 7 November 1998 off Moon Island, near Swansea, New South Wales. The depth was approximately 20m, on rocky reef. By my experience, it's quite common along the New South Wales coast. It's also a species that's quite careful about its gills, retracting them at the slightest disturbance.
I hope this is in fact a new addition to your collection.
Regards,
Erik
schloegl@maths.uts.edu.au
Schloegl, E., 1999 (Sep 30) Neodoris chrysoderma from New South Wales. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1361Thanks Erik,
Yes it is a new addition to the Forum. It's embarassing how many relatively common Australian species aren't yet on the list. If you have any records of it feeding or on a sponge I would be interested. Apart from the photo I've posted at the top of the page, I haven't much information on what it feeds on, its egg mass, or anything else about its biology.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.
