Dendrodoris coronata Kay & D. K. Young, 1969

Location: Sun View, Anilao, Philippines
Date: 2025/12/07
Length: 20mm
Depth: 8.0m
Water temperature: 28.0℃

Description

A small porostome dorid reaching about 45 mm in length. The background colour is translucent yellow to greenish, the dorsum scattered with both dark brown and fine white dots. A transverse ridge sits slightly posterior to the centre of the back; only white dots — and no dark brown ones — sit along this ridge, which is the diagnostic feature of the species. The rhinophores match the body colour, with a slightly darker lamellate club. The gills sit posteriorly and are also translucent.

Distribution

Originally described from material collected in the Hawaiian Islands (Kauaʻi and Oʻahu). Subsequently recorded broadly across the Indo-West Pacific to the central Pacific, including Australia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Japan, Palau, the Marshall Islands and Palmyra Atoll.

Etymology

The specific epithet coronata is Latin for "crowned" or "ring-shaped", in reference to the crown-like transverse ridge across the back.

Remarks

Members of the family Dendrodorididae lack a radula and feed on sponges by suctorial ingestion. Dendrodoris as currently circumscribed has long been recognised as taxonomically difficult because of marked colour polymorphism and unclear species boundaries; molecular work continues to refine the limits between species.