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Doriopsilla albopunctata
Punta la Gringa, Bahia de los Angeles, Baja Californa
Doriopsilla albopunctata (Cooper, 1863)
This sponge-sucking cryptobranch nudibranch has had a varied taxonomic
history. Bertsch (1981) provided the original date of publication of this
species. In a recent Veliger article Terrence Gosliner, Maria Schaefer and
Sandra Millen (1999) synonymized Doriopsilla albopunctata and Dendrodoris
fulva (the latter having been placed in the wrong genus) and carefully
explained the convoluted history of this species' nomenclatural history.
They also described a wide range of variation in the coloration of this
species along the California coast, which can even be seen in specimens
from the Bahía de los Angeles area of Baja California. In the
Gulf of California, I have seen this species feeding on an orange sponge. Copulating pairs are often found on this species of sponge
or very close to
Taxnomic Information and Photos courtesy of Dr. Hans Bertsch
Assoc. Prof.
LITERATURE CITED
Bertsch, Hans. 1981. Correct authorship and date citations for several
Californian opisthobranch gastropod taxa described in publications by
Cooper and Cockerell. The Veliger 24 (1): 49-50.
Gosliner, Terrence M., Maria C. Schaefer, and Sandra V. Millen. 1999. A
new species of Doriopsilla (Nudibranchia: Dendrodorididae) from the
Pacific coast of North America, including a comparison with Doriopsilla
albopunctata (Cooper, 1863). The Veliger 42 (3): 201-210.
Dr. Hans Bertsch
Dept. of Math and Natural Sciences
National University
192 Imperial Beach Blvd. #A
Imperial Beach, CA 91932
FAX (619) 423-9118
Send Hans E-Mail at hansmarvida@cox.net
