White-spotted Dorid
Doriopsilla fulva (MacFarland, 1905)
Description 2
Ground color varies from white to pale yellow, rarely dark brown. With low tubercles on dorsum, each with an apical white dot, no white dots elsewhere on dorsum. Rhinophores yellow, with 10-12 lamellae. Branchial plumes 5, tripinnate, whitish to very pale yellow, spreading horizontally when fully expanded. Labial tentacles rudimentary. May be distinguished from the much rarer Baptodoris mimetica which has firmer texture, has digitiform labial tentacles, has narrow foot, and has 7-8, bipinnate, white, branchial plumes which are held more vertically when fully expanded. May be distinguished from Doriopsilla gemela which has bright yellow to orange branchial plumes, and has the white dots on dorsum not restricted to tips of tubercles. Most often confused wth Doriopsilla albopunctata which has small white dots on dorsum, between tubercles.
Size: 2
Typically about 25mm in length, but may exceed 70mm in length.
Geographic Range 2
Cape Arago, OR, to Point Loma, San Diego Co., CA.
Notes 2
Preys on various yellow sponges.
References 2
HOOVER, C., T. LINDSAY, J. H. R. GODDARD, & Á. VALDÉS. 2015. Seeing double: pseudocryptic diversity in the Doriopsilla albopunctata-Doriopsilla gemela species complex of the north-eastern Pacific. Zoologica Scripta 44(6):612-631. PDF
MACFARLAND, F. M. 1966. Studies of opisthobranchiate mollusks of the Pacific coast of North America. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences 6:1-546, pls. 1-72. PDF
McDONALD, G. R. 1983. A review of the nudibranchs of the California coast. Malacologia 24(1-2):114-276. PDF
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF MARINE INVERTEBRATE TAXONOMISTS. 2018. A taxonomic listing of benthic macro- and megainvertebrates from infaunal & epibenthic monitoring and research programs in the southern California bight, edition 12, 1 July 2018, xviii + 167 pp. PDF
Synonyms 2
Dendrodoris fulva, Doriopsis fulva<?i>.
Additional Info 2
Sources and Credits
- (c) Gary McDonald, all rights reserved, uploaded by Gary McDonald
- (c) Gary McDonald, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
iNat Map
| Labial tentacles | rudimentary or absent |
|---|---|
| Rhinophores | perfoliate |
| Dorsum | tuberculate |
| Classification | Doridina |
| Body | doridiform |
