Chromodoris balat Bonomo & Gosliner, 2020

Description

A moderately large chromodorid, around 45 mm alive. Body cream-white with dark brown broken lines running longitudinally down the mantle, and large dark brown blotches overlying the lines at random points. The mantle margin shows yellow-orange broken spots externally and a white inner band; small orange, yellow and red spots are scattered in the white area. Seven tripinnate gill plumes are red-brown with bright opaque white spots. Perfoliate rhinophores red-brown with about 22 lamellae and opaque white spots. The posterior foot barely projects beyond the mantle and shares the marginal pattern.

Distribution

Philippines (type locality Matotonngil Point, Mabini, Batangas, Luzon, 17 m), Indonesia.

Etymology

The specific epithet balat is a Filipino word meaning blotch or birthmark, in reference to the strikingly large dark blotches on the mantle. In Filipino balat also carries a negative connotation associated with birthmarks, meaning unlucky or misfortunate.

Remarks

Distinguished from Chromodoris lineolata by the broken (rather than continuous) longitudinal black lines, the large brown blotches, and the differently coloured mantle margin. Differs from Chromodoris burni in the presence of opaque white spots on the rhinophores and gills. The Japanese vernacular name "Hososuji-iroumiushi" (used for Chromodoris lineolata) is sometimes incorrectly applied to this species.

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References

• Chromodoris balat, 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.
• Goniobranchus striatella, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2015). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific. New World Pubns Inc.
• Layton K.K., Gosliner T.M. & Wilson N.G. (2018). Flexible colour patterns obscure identification and mimicry in Indo-Pacific Chromodoris nudibranchs (Gastropoda: Chromodorididae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 124: 27-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.02.008
• Chromodoris sp. 12, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2018). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific 2nd Edition. New World Pubns Inc.
• BONOMO L.J. & GOSLINER T.M. (2020). Adding stars to the Chromodoris (Nudibranchia, Chromodorididae) galaxy with the description of four new species. Zootaxa. 4819(3). https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4819.3.1