Peltodoris nobilis from Santa Cruz Is.

April 3, 2006
From: Kevin Lee

Here's a photo of 2 Peltodoris nobilis, large and small, side by side. Surely they are not mating?

Locality: Santa Cruz Island, approx. 35 feet, California, Eastern Pacific, 22 January 2006, Rocky substrate. Length: approx. 1.5 inches & 0.5 inch. Photographer: Kevin Lee.

K:-)

diverkevin@gmail.com

Lee, K., 2006 (Apr 3) Peltodoris nobilis from Santa Cruz Is.. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16105

Dear Kevin,

I love it when folks are up to speed on recent nomenclatural changes.  My compliments to you.  I know how much of a pain it is to stay current, but sea slug systematics is being refined all the time, and we should expect continued revision.

The revision changing Anisodoris to Peltodoris occurred in Valdes & Gosliner (2001).  I mentioned this revision in my Supplement II to Pacific Coast Nudibranchs.

Now, concerning whether this pair is mating, es they could be.  It is not uncommon to find young adults pairing with large individuals.  Whether or not reciprocal fertilization is accomplished will depend on the sexual maturity of the smaller individual.  But 1/2 inch should be large/old enough.

References:

  • Behrens, D.W.  2004.  Pacific Coast Nudibranchs, Supplement II - New species to the Pacific Coast and New information on the oldies.  Proc. Calif. Academy of Sciences, 55(2): 11-54.
  • Valdes, A. & T.M. Gosliner.  2001.  Systematics and phylogeny of the caryophyllidia-bearing dorids (Mollusca, Nudibranchia), with the description of a new genus and four new species from Indo-Pacific deep waters.  Zool. Journ. Linnean Soc., 133: 103-198.

Best wishes,
Dave Behrens

Behrens, D.W., 2006 (Apr 3). Comment on Peltodoris nobilis from Santa Cruz Is. by Kevin Lee. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16105

Factsheet

Peltodoris nobilis

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