Doto purpurea Baba, 1949
Description
A tiny Dotidae, body length about 5 mm. The rhinophore sheath margin bears 2 finger-like processes at its anterior end. There are only 4 pairs of cerata. The surface tubercles on the cerata are spherical, usually arranged in 2 whorls — the upper whorl with 4 tubercles, the lower with 2-5. Only the 4th pair of cerata has a single whorl of 4 tubercles. No gills. The body is pale violet, with the cerata surface tubercles tinged red at the tip. Radula formula 50×0.1.0. The central tooth bears only 1-2 denticles on each side of the median cusp.Distribution
Type locality is off Hasaki, Sajima Island, Sagami Bay (17 m depth, August 1940, single specimen). The original description (Baba, 1949) records the species only from the type locality.Etymology
The specific epithet purpurea is Latin for purple. The original description does not give an explicit etymology paragraph; the descriptive sense reflects the pale violet body colour. The Japanese name "Sumire-matsukasa-umiushi" (violet matsukasa sea slug) likewise refers to the colour.Remarks
The combination of (1) absence of gills, (2) only 4 pairs of cerata, (3) tubercles in 2 whorls, and (4) the pale violet ground with red-tipped tubercles distinguishes this species from congeners.References
A Kindle field guide by the site author
Kimoto N. (2026). Sea Slugs of Japan & the Indo-Pacific, 2nd Edition.
Kindle Edition
View on Amazon PR (Amazon Associates)Seasonality
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Photos of Doto purpurea
Tag:
Same Genus Nudibranchs
Similar Colors Nudibranchs
Academic Database
Sea slug observation data is available in international marine biodiversity databases.