Anisodoris nobilis - Peltodoris or Archidoris?

April 3, 2006
From: Bill Rudman

Concerning message #16105:

Dave,
I know you weren't taking a shot at me when you congratulated Kevin on keeping up with name changes while the Forum still has this species languishing under Anisodoris but I think we are (or at least I feel I am) in a difficult position here. In Valdes & Gosliner (2001) they synonymise Anisodoris with Diaulula but say that 'most of the species previously assigned to Anisodoris probably belong to the genera Peltodoris Bergh 1880 or Archidoris Bergh, 1878'.
But as this was a higher level revision they give no indication on where each species should go. So do I leave Anisodoris nobilis as is at present or flip a coin and place it in Peltodoris or Archidoris - which is now Doris anyway?

In less technological times, taxonomic revisions, like good wine, were left awhile to be considered, sipped and tasted, sometimes accepted, sometimes rejected, but the vital thing was there was time to consider them. Nowadays I sometimes think we are in a race to keep up with the latest changes without any real effort to reflect or consider them.

Now I have said that, I would appreciate any help in placing this species in the right genus, if possible. It's quite possible that it's correct generic placement is common knowledge amongst Californian experts but since I haven't found a published comment anywhere I need some guidance.
Cheers
Bill Rudman 

billr@seaslugforum.net

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Apr 3) Anisodoris nobilis - Peltodoris or Archidoris?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16234

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