Doto cf. pita from The Japan Sea

August 2, 2002
From: Shigeru Hayashi

Dear Bill,
Here is some information on another species from the Japan Sea. This time, what we identify as Doto pita which lives on the hydroid Sertularella miurensis in May. This 6mm specimen was collected from Toyama Bay on May 12, 2002, and was eating a polyp of S. miurensis. The water temperature was to 16 degrees being. We confirmed its spawning and a larva with less than 1mm length, too.

D. pita can be observed in midsummer. It seems to emigrate to other Sertularella colonies because the seaweed that has Sertularella dies in the summer. Photos courtesy of the Takaoka Biological Club, Japan

Best wishes,
Shigeru Hayashi

jr9dsx@tko.fitweb.or.jp

Hayashi, S., 2002 (Aug 2) Doto cf. pita from The Japan Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7424

Thanks Shigeru,
It is good to get photos of animals identified in Japan as Doto pita. As I discuss in Shoichi's message it is unlikely that this Japanese animal is the same as one from the western Atlantic. Also as Bernard Picton discusses in a recent message, species of Doto seem to have very specific food requirements. It is therefore good to get your information on the hydroid that the Japanese animal feeds on. Until the Japanese and Atlantic animals are studied anatomically I will keep those from Japan as Doto cf. pita.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Aug 2). Comment on Doto cf. pita from The Japan Sea by Shigeru Hayashi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7424

Factsheet

Doto cf. pita

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