Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda
Millen, 1985
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Onchidorididae
DISTRIBUTION
Alaska to Baja California, Mexico.
PHOTO
Bowyer Island, Howe Sound, near Vancouver, British Columbia, [Canada] at 40 feet. Approx 8mm. Photo: Marli Wakeling.
Distinguished from other sympatric onchidoridiids by the long rhinophores, and long tapering dorsal papillae.
References
• Bertsch, H. & Willan, R.C. 1986. Occurrence of the nudibranch Diaphorodoris
lirulatocauda in northwest Mexico. The Festivus, 18(10): 145.
• Millen, S.V. 1985. The nudibranch genera Onchidoris and Diaphorodoris (Mollusca, Opisthobranchia) in the northeastern Pacific. The Veliger, 28(1): 80-93.
Rudman, W.B., 2001 (March 10) Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda Millen, 1985. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/diapliru
Related messages
Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda from the Yellow Sea, Korea
December 7, 2009
From: Dong Bum Koh
Dear Bill,
May I introduce Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda that was identified by Terry Gosliner and taken from Korean coast of Yellow Sea.
Locality: Tae An, 10m, South Korea, Yellow Sea, 28 June 2008. Length: Approx. 10 mm. Photographer: Ji Yeon Lee.
Best regards,
Dong Bum Koh
drkoh@seasee.co.kr
Dear Koh,
This is an intersting find. Externally it certainly looks like D. lirulatocauda which at present, I think, is only known from the west coast of North America. You don't mention if Terry has checked the anatomy of your specimens, but if it does prove to be this species it joins a growing number of species which are proving to have a wide distribution around the wets and east coast of the northern Pacific.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Re: Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda from California
September 24, 2008
From: John Yasaki
Concerning message #19950:
Hi, Bill;
Ran across a couple of low flat-topped boulders in Monterey that were crawling with tiny white dorids. Small enough that they were a challenge for my camera to capture an image. Sent some off to Clinton Bauder, who verified my ID as Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda. Returned the following week to try and get better pictures. Depth was about 75 feet, temp about 50F. The largest specimens were probably about 10 mm. Attached is one of the better shots.
Locality: Mola Mountain; Monterey, 75 fsw, California, USA, Monterey Bay, Pacific Ocean, 26 July 2008, isolated Boulder in sand. Length: 10mm. Photographer: John Yasaki.
jky
jyasaki@chabotcollege.edu
Hi John,
Clinton is getting pretty good with the ID's these days. This certainly is Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda. Those long rhinophores and tall dorsal papillae give it away for sure.
Thanks for sharing,
Dave Behrens
Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda from California
May 29, 2007
From: Clinton Bauder
Hi Bill,
Here's another new species for me from Alicia's visit. I think this one is Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda but these small white fuzzy dorids are confusing to me.
Locality: Monterey, 15 meters, CA, USA, Pacific, 20 May 2007, Shale Beds off of Del Monte Beach. Length: 3-5 mm
Clinton
gecko1@apple.com
Bauder, C., 2007 (May 29) Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda from California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19950
HI Clinton,
Yes - this is the tiny white dorid with the really difficult scientific name. We can blame Sandra Millen for that.
The key characteristics for this species are the tall thin papillae on the dorsun and the very long, by dorid standards, rhinophores, white encrustations on them.
My best as usual,
Dave Behrens
Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda
March 12, 2001
From: Richard Willan
Dear Bill,
The white, spikey dorid in Marli Wakeling's photograph from British Columbia is
Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda. It is distinctive among the many small, papillose dorids in the northeastern Pacific. Sandra Millen gave a very thorough description of it in 1985, with good comparisons between it and the Onchidoris species with which it is sympatric, the closest externally being O. muricata. Two definitive characters of D. lirulatocauda that are easily visible in Marli's photo are the shape of the rhinophores and the papillae on the mantle. In D. lirulatocauda the rhinophores are long and slender with a blunt tip (rectangular and flat-topped tip in O. muricata) and the papillae are cylindrical in D. lirulatocauda (each papilla bears a knobbed club in O. muricata). I met D. lirulatocauda myself in California and Mexico in 1986, the latter representing a significant range extension southwards.
References
• Bertsch, H. & R.C. Willan, 1986. Occurrence of the nudibranch Diaphorodoris
lirulatocauda in northwest Mexico. The Festivus, 18(10): 145.
• Millen, S.V. 1985. The nudibranch genera Onchidoris and Diaphorodoris (Mollusca, Opisthobranchia) in the northeastern Pacific. The Veliger, 28(1): 80-93.
Best wishes,
Richard
Richard.Willan@nt.gov.au
Willan, R., 2001 (Mar 12) Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3954Dear Richard,
Thanks for the message and information on this species. The problem with only having one photo is how to interpret the characters. So I decided to err on the side of caution.
Thanks to you, and the others for confirming it identity.
Bill Rudman
Re: Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda
March 12, 2001
From: Dave Behrens
Bill:
I concur with Marli's ID of her photo as Diaphororodoris lirulatocauda, Millen, 1985. The amazingly long rhinophores and notal papillae give it away.
Dave Behrens
Dave@seachallengers.com
Behrens, D., 2001 (Mar 12) Re: Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3957Thanks Dave,
Bill Rudman
Re: Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda from British Columbia
March 12, 2001
From: Jeff Goddard
Hi Bill,
Marli Wakeling's white onchidoridid looks like Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda to me. The white color, long rhinophores, and long smooth dorsal papillae are characteristic. However, to be certain of its identity, we need to see the mid-dorsal ridge on its tail (from which its specific name is derived) and see that the body is widest up at the head. Also, the white pigment in this species is quite opaque. If Marli has a more dorsal view of this specimen, that should clinch its identity.
Best wishes,
Jeff
goddard@lifesci.ucsb.edu
Goddard, J., 2001 (Mar 12) Re: Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3965Thanks Jeff,
Bill Rudman
Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda? from British Columbia
March 8, 2001
From: Marli Wakeling
This is what I think is Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda. It was found at Bowyer Island, Howe Sound, near Vancouver, British Columbia, [Canada] at 40 feet. It is quite small, about 8mm. Perhaps someone can confirm this identification.
Marli
scubamarli@excite.com
Wakeling, M., 2001 (Mar 8) Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda? from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3825Thanks Marli,
Before I set up a page for this species I'll wait for someone to confirm its identity.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
