Original illustration of Doris prismatica var imperialis Pease 1860

March 7, 2005
From: Bill Rudman

Here is another message concerning the white and purple-spotted chromodorids described from Hawaii by Pease and Garrett. In this one I post the original illustration of Doris prismatica var imperialis Pease, 1860. It was published unillustrated, a water colour by Garrett being published later by Bergh (1880: Pl. B, Figs 1-4) as Chromodoris imperialis. It is now known as Risbecia imperialis.

The original description included the following colour information:
"pale cream white, spotted above and on the sides with rich yellow: spots small irregular and slightly raised. The mantle is margined with purple and there are broken rings of the same colour on the sides and upper posterior end of the foot, each ring having a yellow centre". The gills are coloured "pale and edged with purple" and the rhinophore clubs are "deep black, minutely speckled with white and marked with two longitudinal white lines, one behind and the other in front"

• Bergh, L.S.R. (1880) Malacologische Untersuchungen. In: C.G. Semper, Reisen im Archipel der Philippinen, Wissenschaftliche Resultate. Band 2, Suppl. 1, 1-78, Pls. A-F.
• Pease, W. H. (1860)  Descriptions of new species of Mollusca from the Sandwich Islands. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 28, pp. 18-36.

Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Mar 7) Original illustration of Doris prismatica var imperialis Pease 1860. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13230

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