Doriopsis cf. granulosa (Pease, 1860)

Mehrotra, Rahul, A. Caballer Gutierrez, Manuel, M. Scott, Chad, Arnold, Spencer, Monchanin, Coline, Viyakarn, Voranop & Chavanich, Suchana, 2021, An updated inventory of sea slugs from Koh Tao, Thailand, with notes on their ecology and a dramatic biodiversity increase for Thai waters, ZooKeys 1042, pp. 73-188 : 73

* Doriopsis cf. granulosa (Pease, 1860) Figure 13D

Material examined.

One specimen 7 mm, HF.

Ecology.

Under reef rubble and on rocks in coral reef habitats. Cryptic on its yellow prey sponge. Depth 6-12 m.

Distribution.

Doriopsis granulosa is found across the Indo-Pacific including India ( Apte and Bhave 2014), Seychelles ( Gosliner et al. 2008), Tanzania ( Edmunds 1971), Japan ( Baba and Hamatani 1961), Hong Kong ( Orr 1981), Australia ( Nimbs and Smith 2016), and Hawaii ( Kay and Young 1969). Here representing a first record for Thai waters.

Remarks.

While clearly resembling Doriopsis granulosa (Pease, 1860) by an overall yellow dorsum, six gill leaves arranged horizontally in an almost transverse line, and numerous low, rounded tubercles, it bears differences from other descriptions (see Baba and Hamatani 1961; Valdés 2002; Apte and Bhave 2014). These include the absence of any brown spots along the dorsum and rhinophores that are not uniformly yellow-orange but instead have translucent stalks and abruptly transition from a yellow base to a white apex, separated by a thin brown median line. These subtle differences may be found to be within the variability of the species and cannot be confirmed without a closer investigation.

Figures

Figure 13. A Rostanga sp. 18 mm B Sebadoris fragilis 70 mm C Thordisa sp. 12 mm D Doriopsis cf. granulosa 7 mm E Doriopsis pecten 6 mm F Doriopsis viridis 4 mm G Doris cf. immonda 5 mm H, I Dorididae sp. 15 mm (H photograph by Jeremy Coz) and 8 mm (I) J Goniodoridella sp. 1 6 mm K Goniodoridella sp. 2 3 mm (photograph by Khumron Waipaka) L Trapania cf. gibbera 5 mm.