Heine Jensen, Norwegen
Info
Doto hystrix Picton & G. H. Brown, 1981
Doto hystrix is characterized by its star-shaped rinophore sheaths and spiny appearance.
Doto hystrix grows up to 12 mm. The body is narrow, the foot on the head is rounded. The head is long and narrow and forms short and round mouth lobes that are drawn to the sides like small lobes. Directly behind the head are the rinophore with a short, funnel-shaped rinophore sheath that has a wide and unfolded edge. The edge of the rinophore sheath is characterized by being divided into 7 to 9 different points that give it a star shape. The rinophores are long, smooth and finger-shaped and are twice as long as the rinophore sheath. The area between the base of the rinophore sheath and the oral lobe has a pronounced elongated keel.
The upper side of the body is covered with 5 to 7 pairs of gills. The gills are spiny and pinecone-shaped and consist of 4 to 6 rings. There are 3 to 4 wing-like pseudobranches on the inside of the gill base. Several individual gill tubercles are scattered on the dorsal side between the gills. The digestive gland branches to form a short intestinal tract that ends in each individual gill.
The body color is light brown and extends evenly throughout the body, including the rinophores and gills.
The Spiny Doto was originally described from the British Isles. In addition, it is rarely found on the Swedish west coast and in Norway. The small nudibranch was observed along the Norwegian coast from the Oslofjord to the Sognefjord.
The genus name Doto comes from Greek mythology and is one of the 50 daughters (Nerids) of the sea nymph Doris and the sea god Nereus.
The species name "hystrix" comes from Latin and means prickly. This refers to the pointed gill tubercles that are characteristic of the species.
Doto hystrix feeds as a food specialist on Schizotricha frutescens (Hydrozoa).
Doto hystrix is characterized by its star-shaped rinophore sheaths and spiny appearance.
Doto hystrix grows up to 12 mm. The body is narrow, the foot on the head is rounded. The head is long and narrow and forms short and round mouth lobes that are drawn to the sides like small lobes. Directly behind the head are the rinophore with a short, funnel-shaped rinophore sheath that has a wide and unfolded edge. The edge of the rinophore sheath is characterized by being divided into 7 to 9 different points that give it a star shape. The rinophores are long, smooth and finger-shaped and are twice as long as the rinophore sheath. The area between the base of the rinophore sheath and the oral lobe has a pronounced elongated keel.
The upper side of the body is covered with 5 to 7 pairs of gills. The gills are spiny and pinecone-shaped and consist of 4 to 6 rings. There are 3 to 4 wing-like pseudobranches on the inside of the gill base. Several individual gill tubercles are scattered on the dorsal side between the gills. The digestive gland branches to form a short intestinal tract that ends in each individual gill.
The body color is light brown and extends evenly throughout the body, including the rinophores and gills.
The Spiny Doto was originally described from the British Isles. In addition, it is rarely found on the Swedish west coast and in Norway. The small nudibranch was observed along the Norwegian coast from the Oslofjord to the Sognefjord.
The genus name Doto comes from Greek mythology and is one of the 50 daughters (Nerids) of the sea nymph Doris and the sea god Nereus.
The species name "hystrix" comes from Latin and means prickly. This refers to the pointed gill tubercles that are characteristic of the species.
Doto hystrix feeds as a food specialist on Schizotricha frutescens (Hydrozoa).
