Homoiodoris japonica
Bergh, 1882

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Dorididae

DISTRIBUTION

Japan and coast of China.

PHOTO

Hong Kong, 1983. Photos: B.W. Darvell.

Little is known about this species, in fact from the many photos on the web it seems that more than one species has been identified as Homoiodoris japonica. I am assuming the animal illustrated here is correctly identified. It is widespread throughout Japan and there are records from Korea and Hong Kong. It is relatively large, reaching 60 -80 mm in length and is covered with many tubercles which vary greatly in size but have a characteristic shape, with a narrow basal 'stalk' and an inflated body which narrows to a rounded nipple-like tip which is usually marked with a purplish or dark brown patch.

The rhinophore sheath has a pair of 'valves at the edge as well as scattered, small rounded tubercles.

  • Baba, K. (1949). Opisthobranchia of Sagami Bay. p.66, 152 Pl. XXV, figs. 91-92, text fig. 81  Toykyo : Iwanami Shoten
  • Bergh, L. S. R. (1882) Beitrage zur kenntniss der japonischen Nudibranchien. Verhandlungen der koniglich-kaiserlich Zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien (Abhandlungen) 31: 219-250.
  • Hamatani, I (1962): Notes on veligers of Japanese opisthobranchs. (5). Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory 10(2, December), 283-292. 
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2007 (June 19) Homoiodoris japonica Bergh, 1882. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/homojapo

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