Goniodoridella sp. from S.E. Queensland

January 20, 2009
From: David Mullins


Concerning message #18972:

Dear Bill,

Reading the recently posted message from Ann Clear [#18972] reminded me of an undescribed Goniodoridella we have found a number of times now at Mooloolaba and Mudjimba Island.

The first specimen was virtually tripped over just as we were about to stand up while exiting from a 2 hour very shallow (max 2 m) shore dive at "The Ledges" off Mooloolaba Beach. A second specimen was found in the same area almost 12 months later and subsequently also at Mudjimba Island off Maroochydore. I remember that first time very well because due to the very poor viz we clipped ourselves together with what we call the "dog leash" in order to keep in touch. Our faces were no more that 6 inches off the substrate the whole time.

All the specimens we have seen of this species are quite small at approx 6 mm in length.

The most obvious features are:

  • the two extremely long white extra-branchial processes with the gills themselves almost insignificant as small knobs at their base,
  • the stark transverse dark brown line across the white frosted mantle behind the rhinophores,
  • the long white and smooth non-retractable rhinophores, and
  • the absence of a central ridge down the mantle.

The upper photo is in situ at Mudjimba Island and the lower is a composite by Gary Cobb.

Locality: Old Woman Island (Mudjimba Island) Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast,, 12 metres, Queensland, Australia., Pacific Ocean, 23 December 2005, Rocky slope. Length: 6 mm. Photographer: David Mullins & Gary Cobb.

Kind regards,

David Mullins.

marineimages@hotmail.com

Mullins, D.A., 2009 (Jan 20) Goniodoridella sp. from S.E. Queensland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22015

Dear David,

Thanks for this interesting find. Externally it certainly looks like the only known species of the genus G. savignyi, but the brown transverse band and lack of yellow pigmentation seem to be consistently different.

I will call it Goniodoridella sp. 1

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2009 (Jan 20). Comment on Goniodoridella sp. from S.E. Queensland by David Mullins. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22015

Factsheet

Goniodoridella sp. 1