Goniodoridella savignyi (Pruvot-Fol, 1933)

Description

A minute goniodoridid, 3–5 mm in body length. The ground colour is translucent white, with yellow pigment confined to the dorsal tubercles, lateral papillae, rhinophores, gill leaves and the tip of the foot. The mantle edge is slightly raised, and a low ridge runs along the dorsal midline from the rhinophores toward the gill. The lateral papillae are elongate and broader than the gill leaves.

Distribution

The type locality is the Gulf of Suez (northern Red Sea, Egypt). Although this name has historically been applied to populations from the Red Sea through to the western Pacific, recent integrative work has shown that some of those populations belong to other species; specimens from Australian waters have been confirmed as morphologically matching the type material.

Etymology

The specific epithet savignyi is the Latin genitive of the surname Savigny, indicating a dedication.

Remarks

Recent revision has recognised this species as part of a complex containing several externally similar species, with Goniodoridella geminae, G. serrata and G. unidonta recently described as new. Distinguishing them on external characters alone is difficult; identification typically relies on anatomical features and molecular data.

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References

• Goniodoris (Goniodoridella) savignyi n. subgen. n. sp., Pruvot-Fol A. (1933). Opisthobranches de la Mission Robert Ph. Dollfus en Égypte (Décembre 1927 - Mars 1929). Mémoires présentés à l'Institut d'Égypte, 21: 89-159.
• 高岡生物研究会. (2002). 日本海のウミウシ. 第2版.
• Paz-Sedano S., Ekimova I., Smirnoff D., Gosliner T.M. & Pola M. (2023). Shedding light on a species complex within the genus Goniodoridella Pruvot-Fol, 1933 (Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae), with the description of three new species. Journal of Molluscan Studies. 89(4): eyad020. https://doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyad020
• Paz-Sedano S., Moles J., Smirnoff D., Gosliner T.M. & Pola M. (2024). A combined phylogenetic strategy illuminates the evolution of Goniodorididae nudibranchs (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Heterobranchia). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 192: 107990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107990