Red Dorid
Rostanga pulchra MacFarland, 1905
Description 2
Ground color orange to bright red or scarlet, although occasional specimens are light salmon pink. Dorsum sprinkled with various amounts of minute, brown to black dots, and bearing numerous carophyllidia which give a fuzzy appearance. Rhinophores same color as dorsum, with 16-24 nearly vertical lamellae, shaft prolonged above clavus and bluntly tipped. Branchial plumes 8-12, unipinnate, same color as dorsum. Can be distinguished from the similar Aldisa sanguinea which has oblique rhinophore lamellae; dorsum less fuzzy, & often has 1 or 2 large black spots on median line of dorsum.
Size 2
Usually about 10mm in length, but may exceed 30mm.
Geographic Range 2
Pt. Craven, AK, to Gulf of California, Mexico; Panama; Chile; Argentina.
Notes 2
Feeds on various red sponges such as: Acarnus erithacus, Antho lithophoenix, Axocielita originalis, Clathria (Microciona) pennata, & Antho (Acarnia) karykina.
Notes 2
Feeds on various red sponges such as: Acarnus erithacus, Antho lithophoenix, Axocielita originalis, Clathria (Microciona) pennata, & Antho (Acarnia) karykina.
References 2
COOK, E. F. 1962. A study of food choice of two opisthobranchs, Rostanga pulchra McFarland and Archidoris montereyensis (Cooper). The Veliger 4(4):194-196. 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
MUNIAÍN, C., & A. VALDÉS. 2000. Rostanga byga Er. Marcus, 1958 from Argentina: redescription and comparison to Rostanga pulchra MacFarland, 1905 (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Doridina). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, series 4, 52(1):1-10. PDF
SCHRÖDL, M., & J. H. GRAU. 2006. Nudibranchia from the remote southern Chilean Guamblin and Ipún Islands (Chonos Archipelago, 44-45°S), with re-description of Rostanga pulchra MacFarland, 1905. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 79(1):3-12. 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
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 |
| Labial tentacles | digitiform |
| Rhinophores | perfoliate |
| Dorsum | velvety |
