Bermudella purpureolineata (Gosliner, 2004)

Description

The body is moderately elongate and relatively high, with a well-developed notal border. Body color is uniformly translucent purple, with an irregular network of darker purple longitudinal lines on the dorsal surface and darker purple pigment on the gill lamellae. The rhinophores are dark purple basally and red over most of their length. There are seven pairs of elongate lateral notal papillae; the two anteriormost pairs are situated in front of the rhinophores and anteriorly directed. Two medial papillae are present mid-dorsally anterior to the gill. The gill consists of 4-5 unipinnate branches. The rhinophores are elongate with 18-21 congested lamellae. The oral tentacles are broadly triangular and extend beyond the lateral margins of the foot. Living animals reach 10-12 mm.

Distribution

The type locality is Seragaki Beach, Okinawa, at 49 m depth. The species is known only from Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands.

Etymology

Verbatim from the original description (Gosliner, 2004, p.133):

The species name, Okenia purpureolineata, is derived from the presence of longitudinal purple lines on the dorsal surface of the body.

Remarks

Originally described as Okenia purpureolineata in Gosliner, T.M. 2004 Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 55(5): 125-161; subsequently transferred to Bermudella. Collected on erect arborescent bryozoans at 49-60 m depth.

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References

• Okenia purpureolineata Gosliner, sp. nov., Gosliner T. M. (2004). Phylogenetic Systematics of Okenia, Sakishmaia, Hopkinsiella and Hopkinsia (Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae) with descriptions of new species from the tropical Indo-Pacific". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 55(5): 125-161.
• Okenia purpureolineata, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2015). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific. New World Pubns Inc.
• シオンイバラウミウシ（新称）, 中野理枝. (2018). 日本のウミウシ. 文一総合出版.
• Paz-Sedano S., Moles J., Smirnoff D., Gosliner T.M. & Pola M. (2024). A combined phylogenetic strategy illuminates the evolution of Goniodorididae nudibranchs (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Heterobranchia). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 192: 107990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107990