Glossodoris electra
Rudman, 1990
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Chromodorididae
DISTRIBUTION
Known at present from New Caledonia and the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.
PHOTO
North point of Île Nou, Nouméa, 5m, October 1988, 40mm long alive. PHOTO: Bill Rudman.
The mantle is translucent and appears pale yellowish white on the mantle skirt and opaque white in the rnid-region over the viscera. There is also a broad opaque white marginal band of inantle glands. Right at the edge of the mantle, overlying the outer half of the white band, is a broad band of bright yellow. The rhythmically waving gills are arranged in an arc around the anal papilla and although relatively few in number, spiral in on each side posteriorly. They are subquadrangular in section.
In shape, this species is very similar to Glossodoris averni, but it differs in the colour of the mantle margin, bright red or orange in G. averni, and bright yellow in G. electra. Glossodoris averni also differs in having a coloured border to the foot which is absent in G. electra. Characteristic differences between these two species can be found in the radular morphology.
With so many species being white with a yellow border it is difficult to produce new descriptive names. I used the name 'electra' for this species as a reference to Chelidonura electra, a beautiful white aglajid opisthobranch with a bright yellow border, which has been found on both expeditions in which Glossodoris electra has been collected.
Reference:
•Rudman, W.B. (1990) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: further species of Glossodoris, Thorunna and the Chromodoris aureomarginata colour group. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 100(3): 263-326.
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (November 8) Glossodoris electra Rudman, 1990. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/gloselec
