Dendrodoris limbata from French Atlantic

February 28, 2001
From: Angel Valdés

Dear Bill,
I have recently received from Gery Parent this photo taken by Pierre Cottin in the Port of Saint-Quay Portrieux (Northern France). This animal in the photo is a specimen of Dendrodoris limbata and this constitutes the second record of this species from the Atlantic coast of France. So the record by Alex Vanhaelen on the Forum is not an isolated case anymore. Apparently Pierre Cottin has been finding this species in the area since 1991.

The Atlantic coast of France has been intensively studied during many years (since the work of Cuvier in 1804), and this species has only been found recently. I find very hard to believe that this species was there and nobody collected it. I suspect the geographic range of D. limbata has changed during the last years, and this species is moving further north probably as a consequence of rising of water temperature. But other explanations for these records such as human introduction can not be discarded.

It would be very interesting to see if this species is collected in the Atlantic coast of Spain and southern England.

All the best,
Angel

avaldes@CalAcademy.org

Valdes, A., 2001 (Feb 28) Dendrodoris limbata from French Atlantic. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3883

Copyright © Australian Museum, 1998-2010