Peltodoris rubra
(Bergh, 1905)

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

PHOTO

reef at Sattahip District, Chonburi Province, east coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Depth approx 7 meters. July, 2002. Photo: Kitithorn Sanpanich

First described as a probable species of Discodoris this description is not easy to find because of editing? errors in Bergh's 1905 Siboga Report. The name Discodoris rubra is only used in the caption to Plate 1 and in a Corrigenda [correction footnote] at the end of the publication.

The description of the species is on p104. and incorrectly headed:
4. Discodoris? Sibogae Bgh, n.sp. Taf. 1, Fig. 8. Taf. XIV. Fig. 11-14.

The Corrigenda [p248] corrects this by saying that:
Discodoris? Sibogae Bgh is Discodoris rubra Bgh, and the figures are Taf. 1. Fig. 7, NOT Fig 8, and Taf. XIV. Fig. 11-14. Taf. 1. Fig 8 is a figure of Discodoris? sibogae, which today is considered a colour form of Platydoris scabra.

See message where Terry Gosliner suggests that Archidoris hawaiiensis Kay and Young, 1970 is a synonym, and it should be placed in Peltodoris because it lacks jaw plates.

References:
• Bergh, L.S.R. (1905) Die Opisthobranchia. Siboga Expedition Monograph, 50: 1-248, Pls 1-20.
• Kay, E.A. & Young, D.K. (1969) The Doridacea (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Hawaiian Islands. Pacific Science, 23(2): 172-231.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (September 26) Peltodoris rubra (Bergh, 1905). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/peltrubr

Related messages


Peltodoris rubra in the Indian Ocean

October 3, 2008
From: Philibert Bidgrain


Concerning message #8023:

Dear Bill,

I found in Mayotte a specimen of what I think is Peltodoris rubra. I send you a photo of the characteristic pattern of the underside.

Locality: Mbouénatsa, Less 1 m, Mayotte Island, Indian Ocean, 2 August 2008. Length: 70-80 mm. Photographer: Philibert Bidgrain.

For information we found A similar specimen in Réunion Island
What's your opinion about this identification

All the best
Philibert Bidgrain
http://vieoceane.free.fr/runseaslug/indexslug.htm

pbidgrain@yahoo.fr

Bidgrain, P., 2008 (Oct 3) Peltodoris rubra in the Indian Ocean. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21921

Dear Philibert,

Thanks for this record and the photos. It has more black-tipped tubercles than the earlier photos but I suspect your identification is correct. Thanks for the photo showing the colour of the underside, which is often vital for identification. I am not sure of the colour of the underside of Bergh's original specimens, but as Terry Gosliner [#8051] considers Archidoris hawaiiensis Kay and Young, 1970 to be a synonym I had a look at their description. Unfortunately there description of the ventral colour is not very detailed "The foot is white, mottled with purple brown" but at least it is not contradictory. Clearly this is another species we still have much to learn about.

  • Kay, E.A. & Young, D.K. (1969) The Doridacea (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Hawaiian Islands. Pacific Science, 23(2): 172-231.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Oct 3). Comment on Peltodoris rubra in the Indian Ocean by Philibert Bidgrain. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21921

Re: Discodoris from Thailand

September 28, 2002
From: Terry Gosliner

Hi Bill,
The Discodoris from Thailand that you posted is Discodoris rubra Bergh, 1905. It is probably better considered as a Peltodoris, since it lacks jaw plates. Archidoris hawaiiensis Kay and Young, 1970 is also a synonym.
Terry

tgosliner@calacademy.org

Gosliner, T., 2002 (Sep 28) Re: Discodoris from Thailand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8051

Thanks Terry,
It took me a while to find the reference in Bergh's 1905 Siboga Report because the name Discodoris rubra is only used in the caption to Plate 1 and in a Corrigenda [correction footnote] at the end of the publication.

The description of the species is on p104. and incorrectly headed:
4. Discodoris? Sibogae Bgh, n.sp. Taf. 1, Fig. 8. Taf. XIV. Fig. 11-14.

The Corrigenda [p248] corrects this by saying that:
Discodoris? Sibogae Bgh is Discodoris rubra Bgh, and the figures are Taf. 1. Fig. 7, NOT Fig 8, and Taf. XIV. Fig. 11-14. Taf. 1. Fig 8 is a figure of Discodoris? sibogae, which today is considered a colour form of Platydoris scabra.

Another of the tangles we find in Bergh's many publications.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Sep 28). Comment on Re: Discodoris from Thailand by Terry Gosliner. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8051

Discodoris? from Thailand

September 26, 2002
From: Kitithorn Sanpanich

Dear Bill
I've got the photographs of this nudibranch from the reef at Sattahip District, Chonburi Province which is on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand. The depth is about 7 meters, the bottom is sandy. I took these photographs in July, 2002. I think this species should be Discodoris sp. or Dendrodoris sp. Would you mind to identify them for me?
Thank you.
Best wishes
Kitithorn Sanpanich

kitithorn@bims.buu.ac.th

Sanpanich, K., 2002 (Sep 26) Discodoris? from Thailand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8023

Dear Kitithorn,
I am pretty sure your animal is a species of Discodoris. It has some similarities to Discodoris boholiensis but I don't think it is that species. I have seen this spewcies before but can't recall a name. Perhaps someone will recognise it.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.