Doto japonica Odhner, 1936
- Location
- Kamagane, Tago, Futou, Dougashima, Shizuoka, Japan
- Date
- 2016/10/13
- Length
- 5mm
- Depth
- 18.0m
- Water temperature
- 23.3℃
Description
A small dotid (Dotidae) reaching about 12 mm in body length. Ground colour is translucent white, the dorsum scattered with small black spots.Mature individuals bear 5-6 pairs of cerata, each studded with bead-like granular tubercles producing a distinctive textured surface. The colour of the digestive gland inside the cerata varies with the host hydroid. The rhinophores are smooth, basally the ground colour, with a black ring near the middle.
Distribution
Known only from Japan, on hydroid colonies in rocky reefs and on harbour structures.Etymology
The specific epithet japonica is Latin for "of Japan", in reference to the type locality.Remarks
The Japanese vernacular name "Matsukasa-umiushi" was proposed by Baba 1971 in "Anatomical studies on three species of Doto (D. bella, D. japonica and D. pita) from Japan" (Publ. Seto Mar. Biol. Lab. 19: 73-79). Like other species of Doto, it is a hydroid-feeder, often laying its egg masses directly on the host colony.References
- Doto japonica (genus context, Dotona = Doto), Iredale T. (1918). Molluscan nomenclatural problems and solutions. No. 1. Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London. 13(1): 28-40.
- マツカサウミウシ, Baba K. (1949). Opisthobranchia of Sagami Bay collected by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan (相模湾産後鰓類図譜). Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo. 4+2+194+7 pp., pls. 1-50.
- 高岡生物研究会. (2002). 日本海のウミウシ. 第2版.
A Kindle field guide by the site author
Kimoto N. (2026). Sea Slugs of Japan & the Indo-Pacific, 2nd Edition.
Kindle Edition
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Photos of Doto japonica
Tag:
Same Genus Nudibranchs
Similar Colors Nudibranchs
Academic Database
Sea slug observation data is available in international marine biodiversity databases.