Doto sp. (undescribed

Hey - here is another Doto from the waters of California to add to this very complex genus. Normally I would not even think a Doto sent to me was a new species, but just a variation on the others in this confusing group, but this one definitely stands out.

The rhinophores remind me of some sort of comical animated cartoon characters shoes with the long curved anterior flap on the sheath. And then there are those tubercles covering the dorsum. No other Doto on this coast has anything like this. Each has a yellow apical tip. The cerata are fairly indistinct for the genus.

This tiny critter was observed, but unfortunately not collected, at the west side of Palos Verdes peninsula at a site called "the Crane." Margaret and the troops went out the next day and scoured the area, but couldn't find it again. Bummer. Keep trying guys.

Thanks Margaret.

Margaret has been diving since 1993 but only took up underwater photography in 2003 when I started with an Olympus c5050. I loved the instant gratification of digital. I've had several cameras since then and finally made the transition to full frame a couple of years ago. I'm a long time member of LAUPS. My husband and I love to travel and take photographs.

Most of the year we dive locally here in So Cal. The conditions can be challenging and shooting underwater macro is my usual setup. I've been shooting nudibranchs for years and never thought I'd find anything unusual. We have our house on the market and I packed all my id books so had to ask Phil Garner and Merry Passage if they knew what this critter was, they sent it to Dave Behrens and he seemed to think it was an undescribed species. We spent many dives after that looking for it again. So far, no luck but I will never look at a bit of white smutz on red algae the same way ever again

Send Margaret email at meweeb@gmail.com