Nudibranchia

Cephalaspidea

Sacoglossa

Anaspidea

Notaspidea


Anadoridoidea

Chromodorididae

Dendrodorididae

Dorididae

Phyllidiidae

Dendronotina

Arminina

Aeolidina

ORDER : NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder : DORIDINA
Superfamily : Eudoridoidea
Family : Chromodorididae

 

In the Eudoridoidea the gills can be withdrawn into a pocket for protection. Another name for the superfamily is the "Cryptobranchia" which basically means "hidden gills".

   Gills extended

Gills partially retracted

gills gills

The Chromodorididae (Bergh, 1891)

Family name means colorful dorids, and most species are brightly colored and elaborately patterned

Caracterized by :

- Oval mantles that cover their foot entirely. The mantle have a smooth surface to the touch.
   - In most cases the gills form an arc, open posteriorly, around the anus, and in some cases almost a complete circle
   - Lamellated rhinophores and one pair of tentacles
   - They are sponge feeder and possess a large radula


Cadlinella ( Thiele, 1931)

Body and mantle :

Mantle firm and spiculate ( which give them a rough surface to the touch ) with large club-shaped tubercles.

The mantle along the sides is wide, extending down to hide the foot.

Photo : C. ornatissima

cadlinella

mantle glands

Mantle glands :

Mantle glands are numerous with an inner row of large compound glands and two outer rows of clusters of small single glands.

 

 

 

Photo : C. ornatissima

 

Gills :

The gills are simple with a tendency to branch

 

Rhinophores :

Lamellated rhinophores.


Chromodoris ( Alder & Hancock, 1855)

 

Body and mantle :

Species of Chromodoris are dorso-ventrally flattened ( flatter than members of other genera ), the mantle is elongately-ovate and the posterior end of the foot extends beyond the mantle when the animal is crawling.

The mantle forms the dorsal body wall and extends out further than the lateral soft body wall all around forming what is called the mantle skirt or mantle overlap.

chromodoris geminus

Photo : C. geminus

There is some variation in the width of the mantle overlap with some species having a wide mantle overlap ( C. albopunctata) and some a relatively narrow overlap (C. aspersa)

In a few species (C. conchyliata ) the anterior end of the mantle tends to be held more horizontally than the sides giving a spatulate appearance to the body and this “oral veil” can flap up and down.


  In most species of Chromodoris the body wall is extremely thin and the animal is soft to touch

Mantle glands :

In all species studied there is a row of submarginal mantle glands. The gland appear branched or forming irregular clusters, and open on the dorsal surface just in from the edge. The glands are usually found all around the mantle.

Simple gills

Gills :

The gills are usually simple ( planar structure with simple lamellae along each side) and form a circle, which is sometimes broken posteriorly, around the anus.

In a few cases ( C. splendida ) the gills are quadrangular in cross-section

 

 

Photo : C conchyliata

 

Rhinophores :

Lamellated rhinophores.

lamellated rhinophore

Durvilledoris

Body and mantle :

Small size, mantle elongately-oval with a large mantle overlap

It closed to Chromodoris but the anatomy of the foregut and the reproductive system clearly preclude it from that genus

 

Photo : D. lemniscata

durvilledoris

Mantle glands :

There is a row of small, single, closely spaced mantle glands around the edge of the mantle, opening at the edge

Gills :

The gills are simple

Rhinophores :

Lamellated rhinophores.

lamellated rhinophores Photo : D. pusilla


Glossodoris (Ehrenberg, 1831) :

Body and mantle :

They have a relatively hight and firm body, many species of Glossodoris have a quite thick muscular body wall (G.atromarginata).

The mantle edge, sometimes very reduced, is thrown into a series of sinuous ( G hikuerensis) semi-permanent or permanent folds.

Mantles are often edged with a contrasting colour to the central area

glossodoris

Photo: C. atromarginata

Mantle glands :

Mantle glands are arranged submarginally around the mantle and open dorsally

gills of Glossodoris hikuerensis

Gills :

In Glossodoris the gill appears almost inflated, with the inner and outer edges becoming rounded sides so that in cross-section the gill is sub-quadrangular

Like in Risbecia, the two ends of the the circle (or horse-shoe) arc of gills, extends at each end into a secondary spiral so greatly increasing the number of gills. Simple circlet of gills are observed in the juvenile.

Like in Risbecia and Thorunna all the gills wave or wriggle rhythmically.

Photo : G. hikuerensis

Rhinophores :

Lamellated rhinophores.

 

 

Photo : G. hikuerensis

lamellated rhinophore


Hypselodoris (Stimpson, 1855)

Body and mantle :

The body have a hight profile with a narrow mantle overlap along the sides, widening somewhat anteriorly

They frequently have longitudinal line on the dorsal surface

 

Photo : H. bullocki

hypselodoris

Mantle glands :

The most frequently reported glands are those found in the genus Hypselodoris. Along each side there are small single-celled glands, at the edge of the mantle and around the posterior end the glands become large and packed closely together.

gills of hypselodoris

Gills :

The gills are usually simple ( planar structure with simple lamellae along each side) and form a circle, which is sometimes broken posteriorly, around the anus.

They are usually simple but are sometimes triangular in cross section.

Photo H.bullocki

 

Rhinophores :

Lamellated rhinophores.

 

Photo : H. bullocki

lamellated rhinophore


Noumea ( Risbec, 1928)

Body and mantle :

In Noumea the body shape is very similar to typical Chromodoris but the anterior end of the foot extends into triangular foot corners (not visible in this photo...) visible beyond the mantle edge when the animal is crawling.

The mantle overlap is usually narrow and the soft body relatively high.

Photo : N. varians

noumea

 

Mantle glands :

Mantle glands form a wide submarginal band or narrower marginal band. In all cases the glands open dorsally but while some are single, others ramify as in Chromodoris.

Gills :

The gills are simple and there are only a few arranged in a circle around the anus.

Rhinophores :

Lamellated rhinophores.

 


Risbecia (Odhner, 1934)

Body and mantle :

The body is high and firm to the touch with a relatively narrow mantle overlap along the sides but around the head this broadens to give a spatulate shape to the body.

They are generally found crawling in pairs, one attached to the back of the other

Photo : R. pulchella

risbecia

Mantle glands :

Small mantle glands are present along the sides and replaced by larger glands posteriorly.

Gills of risbecia

Gills :

The gills are simple.

Like in Glossodoris, the two ends of the the circle (or horse-shoe) arc of gills, extends at each end into a secondary spiral so greatly increasing the number of gills.

Like Glossodoris and Thorunna all the gills wave or wriggle rhythmically.

Photo : R. pulchella

Rhinophores :

Lamellated rhinophores. (partially retracted in this photo...)

 

Photo : R. pulchella

lamellated rhinophores


Thorunna ( Bergh, 1877)

Body and mantle :

The soft body is elongate and relatively high with a very narrow mantle overlap along the sides

Most species are white with colored marginal bands

 

Photo : T. horologia

thorunna

Mantle glands :

The information concerning the presence or absence of mantle glands is equivocal

Gills :

The gills are simple, few in number

Like in Risbecia and Glossodoris, all the gills wave or wriggle rhythmically.

Rhinophores :

Lamellated rhinophores.