Acanthodoris brunnea
MacFarland, 1905

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Onchidorididae

PHOTO

10m of water on the sand near the Monterey Breakwater, California, USA. Approx 20mm long.
Photo: Sami Laine

The mantle is brown with blotches and spots of white and black. Much of the mantle is covered in high pointed translucent papilla which are greyish basally and whitish in the upper half. Dave Behrens in Pacific Coast Nudibranchs notes that one of its most distinctive characteristics is the pungent odour of cedar it gives off when handled. it feeds on bryozoans, and grows to approx 20mm long.

  • Behrens, D., 1991 Pacific Coast Nudibranchs.
  • MacFarland, F.M. (1905) A preliminary account of the Dorididae from Monterey Bay, California. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 18: 35-54.
  • MacFarland, F.M. (1905) Opisthobranchiate mollusca from Monterey Bay, California, and vicinity. Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisheries, 25: 109-151.
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (October 29) Acanthodoris brunnea MacFarland, 1905. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/acanbrun

Related messages


Acanthodoris brunnea from California

October 31, 2002
From: Clinton Bauder


Hi Bill,
Another one for the forum. This is Acanthodoris brunnea. It was found in 10m of water on the sand near the Monterey Breakwater, California. It's about 20mm long.

The photo was taken by my dive buddy Sami Laine whose work can be be seen at http://www.kelpdiver.com.
Clinton

gecko1@apple.com

Bauder, B., 2002 (Oct 31) Acanthodoris brunnea from California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8068

Thanks Clinton,
Always nice to see a new animal. Species of Acanthodoris are not common in the Southern Hemisphere so its like finding something new for me.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman