Cadlinella hirsuta Rudman, 1995

Description

A medium-sized chromodorid reaching 15-26 mm alive. The mantle is a deep translucent yellow, densely covered with long, opaque white tapering papillae, each with a translucent clear basal band; in some specimens the upper third of each papilla is tinged pink. Gills and rhinophores are translucent white. Three bands of mantle glands run along the mantle skirt: small irregularly scattered glands at the edge, tightly packed clusters of small glands inside, and a row of about eight large compound glands deeply embedded near the body. Each compound gland consists of a translucent ring of connective tissue or muscle surrounding a ring of white spherical glands; when irritated, the white spheres are extruded out of the central pore. Six simple gills form a circle around the anus.

In all anatomical features the species matches Cadlinella ornatissima; the principal external difference is the development of the dorsal tubercles of C. ornatissima into long tapering papillae in C. hirsuta.

Distribution

Type locality: Baie du Prony, southern Lagoon, New Caledonia, 25 m. Type series additionally from Canal Woodin, Banc Gail, Passe de Koumac (4-40 m) and Bellona Reefs (60-80 m).

Etymology

The specific epithet is the feminine of Latin hirsutus ("hairy, shaggy") and reflects the diagnostic external character that separates this species from C. ornatissima — the long tapering papillae covering the entire mantle.

Remarks

Material originally placed in the genera Echinodoris and Ceratodoris may belong to this species or to a congener; the disposition of those names under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is still being worked out. The Japanese material described as Echinodoris armata may also be congeneric or conspecific with C. hirsuta, but with only one preserved specimen and no live colour information this cannot be confirmed.

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References

• Cadlinella hirsuta n.sp., Rudman, W. B. (1995). The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: further species from New Caledonia and the Noumea romeri colour group. Molluscan Research. 16(1): 1-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/13235818.1995.10673663
• Cadlinella hirsuta, Johnson R.F. & Gosliner T.M. (2012). Traditional taxonomic groupings mask evolutionary history: a molecular phylogeny and new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs. PLoS ONE 7(4): e33479.
• Cadlinella hirsuta, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2015). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific. New World Pubns Inc.