Heath's Dorid
Geitodoris heathi (MacFarland, 1905)
Description 2
Ground color varies from light yellow to a more dusky yellow-tan or raw umber, tuberculate dorsum usually darker medially, sprinkled with numerous minute red-brown and brown to black dots, usually with a major concentration just anterior of the branchial plumes; occasionally with a few small white blotches on dorsum. Rhinophores light yellow to dusky yellow, with 10-16 lamellae. Branchial plums 8-10, tripinnate, light yellow to dusky yellow, sprinkled with minute brownish flecks, rather whitish on tips. Labial tentacles digitiform. Can be distinguished from Doris montereyensis which has yellow to orange branchial plumes, larger tubercles on dorsum, and larger blotches of dark pigment on dorsum; and from Peltodoris nobilis which has white branchial plumes, and larger tubercles on dorsum.
Size 2
Typically about 25mm in length, but may exceed 60mm in length.
Geographic Range 2
Prince William Sound, AK, to Bahia San Quintin, Baja California, Mexico.
Notes 2
Preys on sponges in the genera Adocia, Halichondria, Haliclona, Lissodendoryx, Mycale, Myxilla, & Terpios.
References 2
CAMACHO-GARCIA, Y. E., & T. M. GOSLINER. 2008a. Nudibranch dorids from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica with the description of a new species. Bulletin of Marine Science 83(2):367-389. 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
Discodoris heathi
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
| Body | doridiform |
|---|---|
| Classification | Doridina |
| Dorsum | tuberculate |
| Labial tentacles | digitiform |
| Rhinophores | perfoliate |
