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This species has been observed on Reunion Island

Order : Nudibranchia Suborder : Euctenidiacea Superfamily : Doridoidea Family : Discodorididae Distribution : Tropical Indo-West Pacific Maximal size : 155 mm Abundance : Seldom if ever on the reef flat zone Species characteristics : The ground color of the dorsal notum is whitish, yellowish or brown and bears many irregular dark brown irregular area (spots, blotches, speckles etc ) The dorsal notum bears long soft papillae some of which are branched.
	Showing species characteristics...	Photo Christophe Cadet Reunion, La Saline, less 1 m, 10 February 2014, size : 40-65 mm

See more about : Sightening and mating periods

Remarks :

Identification confirmed by Angel Valdès
    Synonymous : (according Worms)
          - Doris raripilosa, Abraham, 1877 (original combinaison)
          - Hoplodoris desmoparypha, Bergh, 1880
          - Otinodoris winckworthi, White, 1948
          - Platydoris papillata, Eliot, 1903
          - Asteronotus           - Asteronotu raripapilosus (Abraham, 1877) raripilosus (Abraham, 1877)

Bibliographic data

Material examined ( Dayrat, 2010)

Madagascar, Ile Sainte Marie, off Soanambo Hotel, 5 April 1990, one specimen 155 mm
    Mauritius, 13 October 1873, one specimen 85 mm

Other external morphology characteristics

The ground color of the ventral surface (hyponotum and foot) is creamish after preservation and bears large dark brown bloches that may or may not form a ring around the foot. In addition, there is a fuzzy ring composed by minute brown speckles all around the edge of the hyponotum. Similar speckles are present on the sole and the sides of the foot.
    The rhinophores have from 30 to 45 lamellae.
    There are six tripinnate branchial plumes arranged in circle around the anus. Presence of a six lobed branchial sheath.
    The two oral tentacles are flattened, not grooved and in most cases clearly ear-shaped
    To say the least the taxonomy of Otinodoris raripilosa is a mess : five specific names (raripilosa, desmoparypha, papillata, nubilosa, winckworthi) and seven generic names (Doris, Discodoris, Hoplodoris, Platydoris, Sebadoris, Otinodoris) have been used to refer to this species...
    The dark form of Sebadoris fragilis may be confused with Otinodoris raripilosa but O. raripilosa has branched dorsal papillae and a six lobed branchial sheath that are absent in S. fragilis They also be confused with Sebadoris nubilosa but Sebadoris nubilosa has distinguishable, soft, dorsal papillae.

References :

Publications :

Dayrat B. 2010. A monographic revision of discodorid sea slugs (Gastropoda, Opisthobranchia, Nudibranchia, Doridina). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Series 4, vol. 61, suppl. I, 1-403, 382 figs
    Valdés Á. (2002). A phylogenetic analysis and systematic revision of the cryptobranch dorids (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Anthobranchia). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 136 : 535-636
page(s): 603-604

Other photos of Otinodoris raripilosa :

Chritophe Cadet Reunion, La Saline, less 1 m, 10 February 2014, size : 40-65 mm A population with about 30 specimens and several spawns...

Maurice Jay Reunion The ground color of the ventral surface (hyponotum and foot) is creamish after preservation and bears large dark brown bloches that may or may not form a ring around the foot. In addition, there is a fuzzy ring composed by minute brown speckles all around the edge of the hyponotum. Similar speckles are present on the sole and the sides of the foot.