Platydoris sanguinea

Photo courtesy of the Webmaster
Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
Sept. 2002

Platydoris sanguinea Bergh, 1905 Well it's that time of year again when Webmaster Miller goes looking for a Branch that truly embodies the spirit of the Holiday Season - at least in color. This year Michael has chosen Platydoris sanguinea , and asked me to give the Holiday toast. So, Ho Ho Ho, here we go - And have you been a good little Brancher this year? I hope so. As the name of this critter implies, Platydoris sanguinea is indeed dark red in color, matching Santa's rotund suit quite nicely. Some specimens have a few white spots on the dorsal surface. Santa's favorite rain deer "Rudolph" Bergh named this species from a single specimen in his 1905 monograph on the Siboga Expedition (which some say really took place on the eve of December 25th). Dorgan, Valdes and Gosliner in their recent review of the genus Platydoris , mention that this type specimen has been lost, but as you can see from the color plate from the manuscript shown here, these specimens from Bali, Indonesia match perfectly. Note also the white gills and rhinophores.

This Holiday treat, which reaches about 40 mm in length, is brought to us from the waters of Indonesia and the Philippines.

So with that, we wish each of you a very warm and safe Holiday, where ever you are and however you celebrate. And if that's not enough Holiday cheer for you...... Please enjoy a little creative Holiday music from this festive Santa .

See ya next year.

Reference:

K.M. Dorgan, Á. Valdés & T.M. Gosliner. 2002. Phylogenetic systematics of the genus Platydoris (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Doridoidea) with descriptions of six new species. Zoologica Scripta. 31(3): 271-319.

Platydoris sanguinea concludes our Branch of the Week (BOW) presentations for 2002. What a year it was indeed! I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dave and all the wonderful contributors that have made this weekly presentation possible! For 2003 I encourage you get out and keep up the hunt for these elusive animals, sea slugs. I think they have a whole lot more to tell us in the way they live and reproduce.

The next regularly scheduled BOW will be Monday, Jan. 06. 2003.

Santa Dave Author: Pacific Coast Nudibranchs Co-Author Coral Reef Animals of the Indo Pacific Propriator of Sea Challengers Natural History Books ! Send Dave mail at seachalleng@earthlink.net

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