Heine Jensen, Norwegen
Info
Lophodoris danielsseni (Friele & Hansen, 1876)
This white and yellow slug has a very distinctive appearance. It is considered very rare and can only be found in a few places along the Norwegian coast, but can be locally numerous.
Lophodoris danielsenia can grow up to 15 mm long. The body is translucent white, with the internal organs showing through yellow-brown or pink. A high, serrated keel runs along the middle of the back from the rinophores to the gill bush and continues on the relatively long tail. The coat is broad, wavy, and draped around the animal like an umbrella, supported by slender bundles of long spines that project like arrows from the middle of the back to the jagged edge of the cape. The two posterior vaginal tubercles are large and laminated.
The rinophores are long and have up to 20 two-part lamellae. The gill consists of 6 to 9 simple, pinnate gill branches, which are thickened in the middle, have a bud at the top and are irregularly and sparsely laminated. The tips of the tubercles around the gill bush and the two posterior papillae are light yellow or yellow-green, often with a slightly ruffled appearance. The rinophores often also have some yellow or white pigment on the tip. The head has flat, rounded mouth tentacles.
The small snail has been found at depths of 20 to 108m, typically on hard bottoms among hydrozoans. However, it is uncertain whether hydrozoans are the food; The only other species in this genus, Lophodoris scala from Brazil, feeds on the cup worms (Entoprocta) that grow on the hydrozoans. Otherwise, little is known about their biology and lifestyle.
Lophodoris danielsseni cannot be confused with any other species because it has a distinctive row of tubercles on the back and along the margin, as well as the pale yellow tips of the tubercles around the gill bush.
etymology
The genus name "Lophodoris" is derived from the Greek lophos, meaning "height, entrenchment", and Doris, a sea nymph in Greek mythology, daughter of the sea gods Oceanus and Tehys.
The species name "danielsseni" is a tribute to Daniel Cornelius Danielssen (1815–1894), a Norwegian zoologist and physician best known for his research on leprosy.
Synonymised names:
Goniodoris danielsseni Friele & Hansen, 1876 · unaccepted
Lophorodoris danielsseni (Friele & Hansen, 1876) · unaccepted
This white and yellow slug has a very distinctive appearance. It is considered very rare and can only be found in a few places along the Norwegian coast, but can be locally numerous.
Lophodoris danielsenia can grow up to 15 mm long. The body is translucent white, with the internal organs showing through yellow-brown or pink. A high, serrated keel runs along the middle of the back from the rinophores to the gill bush and continues on the relatively long tail. The coat is broad, wavy, and draped around the animal like an umbrella, supported by slender bundles of long spines that project like arrows from the middle of the back to the jagged edge of the cape. The two posterior vaginal tubercles are large and laminated.
The rinophores are long and have up to 20 two-part lamellae. The gill consists of 6 to 9 simple, pinnate gill branches, which are thickened in the middle, have a bud at the top and are irregularly and sparsely laminated. The tips of the tubercles around the gill bush and the two posterior papillae are light yellow or yellow-green, often with a slightly ruffled appearance. The rinophores often also have some yellow or white pigment on the tip. The head has flat, rounded mouth tentacles.
The small snail has been found at depths of 20 to 108m, typically on hard bottoms among hydrozoans. However, it is uncertain whether hydrozoans are the food; The only other species in this genus, Lophodoris scala from Brazil, feeds on the cup worms (Entoprocta) that grow on the hydrozoans. Otherwise, little is known about their biology and lifestyle.
Lophodoris danielsseni cannot be confused with any other species because it has a distinctive row of tubercles on the back and along the margin, as well as the pale yellow tips of the tubercles around the gill bush.
etymology
The genus name "Lophodoris" is derived from the Greek lophos, meaning "height, entrenchment", and Doris, a sea nymph in Greek mythology, daughter of the sea gods Oceanus and Tehys.
The species name "danielsseni" is a tribute to Daniel Cornelius Danielssen (1815–1894), a Norwegian zoologist and physician best known for his research on leprosy.
Synonymised names:
Goniodoris danielsseni Friele & Hansen, 1876 · unaccepted
Lophorodoris danielsseni (Friele & Hansen, 1876) · unaccepted
