Diaulula odonoghuei
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Doridoidea
Family: Discodorididae
Genus: Diaulula
Species:
D. odonoghuei
Binomial name
Diaulula odonoghuei
(Steinberg, 1963)
Synonyms[1]
  • Doris echinata O'Donoghue, 1922
  • Doridigitata maculata O'Donoghue, 1926
  • Doris odonoghuei Steinberg, 1963
Diaulula odonoghuei from Patrick's Point, CA

Diaulula odonoghuei, the spotted leopard dorid, is a species of dorid nudibranch found in the Pacific Ocean.[1][2] Identified as a cryptic species in 2016,[3] it is differentiated from its sister species Diaulula sandiegensis by having considerably more spots on their mantle.[3]

Description

This nudibranch grows to about 100 mm (4") in length[1] with many spots covering its mantle, this pattern can extend all the way to the edge of the mantle, a defining characteristic of this cryptic species[3]

Distribution

This dorid nudibranch ranges from the sea of Japan to northern California.[3]

Life habits

This species feeds on sponges.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bieler R, Bouchet P, Gofas S, Marshall B, Rosenberg G, La Perna R, Neubauer TA, Sartori AF, Schneider S, Vos C, ter Poorten JJ, Taylor J, Dijkstra H, Finn J, Bank R, Neubert E, Moretzsohn F, Faber M, Houart R, Picton B, Garcia-Alvarez O, eds. (2018). "Diaulula odonoghuei (Steinberg, 1963)". MolluscaBase. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  2. Harbo, Rick M. (2017). Pacific Reef and Shore: A Photo Guide to Marine Life from Alaska to Northern California (Revised Second ed.). Harbour Publishing. ISBN 9781550177879.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Lindsay, Tabitha; Kelly, Julie; Chichvarkhin, Anton; Craig, Sean; Kajihara, Hiroshi; Mackie, Joshua; Valdés, Ángel (November 2016). "Changing spots: pseudocryptic speciation in the North Pacific dorid nudibranch Diaulula sandiegensis (Cooper, 1863) (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia)". Journal of Molluscan Studies. 82 (4): 564–574. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyw026. ISSN 0260-1230.


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