Dendrodoris azineae
Behrens & Valdes, 2004

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

DISTRIBUTION

Known only from southern and central California, USA.

PHOTO

Carmel Bay, California, USA, July, 12, 2000. At about 180 feet (54M). Photo: Clinton Bauder

Note: Previously known on Forum as Dendrodoris sp. 3. and by Behrens (1991) as Dendrodoris sp. 2.

The general colour of the animal ranges from opaque white to a brownish yellow. The mantle margin is finely wrinkled and is edged with a white band. The rhinophore club is deep purple and there can be patches of purple on the white rhinophore stalk. The tripinnate gills are translucent white wit redish purple tips, which creates a reddish purple edge around each gill. It grows to at least 75 mm in length.

  • Behrens, D.W. (1991) Pacific Coast Nudibranchs. Sea Challengers, Monterey. 2nd edition, 107 pages
  • Behrens, D.W. & Valdés, Á. (2004)  A New Species of Dendrodoris (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Dendrodorididae) from the Pacific Coast of North America. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 55(21): 408–413, 3 figs.
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2005 (February 3) Dendrodoris azineae Behrens & Valdes, 2004. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/dendazin

Related messages


Dendrodoris sp. 3. = Dendrodoris azineae

February 4, 2005
From: Bill Rudman

Just a short note to let you know that the species that has been temporarily  named Dendrodoris sp. 3. on the Forum now has a name - Dendrodoris azineae

  • David W. Behrens, D.W. & Valdés, Á. (2004)  A New Species of Dendrodoris (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Dendrodorididae) from the Pacific Coast of North America. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 55(21): 408–413, 3 figs.

Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Feb 4) Dendrodoris sp. 3. = Dendrodoris azineae. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12992

Dendrodoris? from California

July 19, 2000
From: Clinton Bauder

Note added 3 February 2005: This has been named Dendrodoris azineae

Hi Bill,
I was doing a deep dive in Carmel Bay, California, USA, on Wednesday, July, 12. At about 180 feet (54M) I found a dorid which I didn't recognize. I shot some quick video of it and now of course wish I had shot more. It looks to be the undescribed Dendrodoris species in plate 131 of Dave Behren's book. This was known only from 1 example which was dredged from 300 feet off Malibu in Southern California.

Michael Miller of the Slug Site says this is probably what I saw and that there has only been one unconfirmed sighting of it since. Dave Behrens is apparently on vacation and will be back on Tuesday but meanwhile if anybody else out there knows anything about this beast I'd love to hear about it.
Clinton Bauder

gecko1@apple.com

Bauder, C., 2000 (Jul 19) Dendrodoris? from California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2721

Dear Clinton,
I heard from Dave yesterday as he ploughed through a mountain of emails so you may get some feedback soon
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Re: Dendrodoris from California

July 19, 2000
From: Clinton Bauder 

Note added 3 February 2005: This has been named Dendrodoris azineae

Dear Bill,
Since sending my message Dave Behrens has gotten back to me and confirmed that it is what I thought it was. He also mentioned that George Spalding and Peter Bruegemann at Scripps have seen it in Scripps Canyon at about the same depth and that it is now known from 3 locations.

One more thing. The original specimen was apparently lost. Anybody seeing the animal may wish to collect one for Dave Behrens so that it can be described for science.

Clinton               

gecko1@apple.com

Bauder, C., 2000 (Jul 19) Re: Dendrodoris from California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2733