Goniobranchus preciosus (Kelaart, 1858)
- Location
- USAT Liberty Shipwreck, Tulamben, Pulau Bali, Indonesia
- Date
- 2015/11/15
- Length
- 11mm
- Depth
- 15.0m
- Water temperature
- 30.0℃
Description
A small to medium-sized chromodorid reaching about 30 mm in length. The body is white. The mantle margin carries, from the outer edge inwards, a fine pale blue line, a broad dark-red band, and a broad yellow band — four colour-pattern forms have been recognised among these margins. The rhinophores are reddish-purple with white-edged lamellae; the gill plume is reddish-purple with white axial stripes. The original describer noted that the mantle was narrow and barely covered the foot, leaving the body almost exposed and recalling the appearance of a Goniodoris.Distribution
Western Pacific. Type locality: Trincomalee, Ceylon (Sri Lanka).Etymology
The specific epithet preciosus is the Latin for "precious" or "of high value". The species was dedicated by its original describer to Sir Charles MacCarthy, the Colonial Secretary of Ceylon, in recognition of his support for natural-history work in the colony. The Japanese vernacular name "Fuchidori-usagi-umiushi" alludes to the multiple coloured borders ringing the mantle (fuchidori) and the rabbit-like white body (usagi).References
- Doris preciosa, Kelaart E.F. (1858). Description of new and little-known species of Ceylon nudibranchiate molluscs and zoophytes. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 3(9): 84-139.
- フチドリウサギウミウシ, 益田一. (1999). 海洋生物ガイドブック. 第2刷. 東海大学出版会.
- Goniobranchus preciosus, 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 preciosus, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2018). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific 2nd Edition. New World Pubns Inc.
- Goniobranchus preciosus, Soong G.Y., Bonomo L.J., Reimer J.D. & Gosliner T.M. (2022). Battle of the bands: systematics and phylogeny of the white Goniobranchus nudibranchs with marginal bands (Nudibranchia, Chromodorididae). ZooKeys. 1083: 169-210. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1083.72939
Featured in this book
Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2018). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific 2nd Edition. New World Pubns Inc.
New World Publications
This species, Goniobranchus preciosus, is included in the book.
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Photos of Goniobranchus preciosus
Same Genus Nudibranchs
Similar Colors Nudibranchs
Academic Database
Sea slug observation data is available in international marine biodiversity databases.