Hammerhead Doto
Doto amyra Marcus, 1961
Description 2
Ground color translucent cream-white, with no dark pigment on body. The 5-8 opposite pairs of cerata bear numerous rather long, well spaced tubercles which occur in 4-7 (sometimes indistinct) rings around each ceras, cores vary from pale yellow, or light pinkish-orange or orange-brown. Rhinophores & calyciform rhinophore sheath with numerous small, opaque white dots. The lack of dark pigment distinguishes this species from Doto columbiana & Doto kya both of which have dark pigment on the body. May be distinguished from Doto form A which has comparatively longer and whiter papillae on the cerata, and cerata cores bright pink to salmon or rose.
Size 2
Typically about 8mm in length.
Geographic Range 2
Ketchikan, AK, to Bahia de Banderas, Mexico.
Notes 2
Preys on hydroids in the genera Abietinaria & Garveia. This species lays large eggs with lecithotrophic development compared to Doto form A which lays small eggs that develop into planktotrophic larvae. Jeff Goddard has pointed out that the currently accepted concept of Doto amyra may include at least 2, and possibly as many as 4 distinct species (see Doto form A).
References 2
GODDARD, J. H. R. 1996. Lecithotrophic development in Doto amyra (Nudibranchia: Dendronotacea), with a review of developmental mode in the genus. The Veliger 39(1):43-54. 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
Doto ganda Marcus, 1961, Doto wara Marcus, 1961.
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)
