This species has been observed on Mayotte and Madagascar Islands

Order : Nudibranchia Suborder : Euctenidiacea Superfamily : Polyceroidea Family : Gymnodorididae Distribution : Wide tropical Indo-West Pacific Maximal size : 100 mm Abundance : Species characteristics : This large gymnodorid is characterised externally by its bright orange to red colour with large white and yellowish tubercles dispersed uniformly over the body, yellow rhinophores, yellow border to the foot, and large gills.
	Showing species characteristics...	Photo Norbert Verneau Mayotte, Dzaoudzi fringing reef, 1-2 m, 11 Jully 2008, size : 80 mm

See more about : Sightening and mating periods

Remarks :

Identification confirmed by Nathalie Yonow
    Synonymous : (according Worms)
               - Doris aurita Gould, 1852

Bibliographic data :

The eight multipinnate gills are large, twice the animal's width, translucent white to red, with white to yellowish white ridges
    The bases of the auriculate oral tentacles has a yellowish white band as the margin of the foot
    The rhinophores are white to yellow, short and perfoliate, with 15 steeply set lamellae. They appear to attach to the body more at an angle rather than being strictly perpendicular to the axis of the rhinophore.
    This species has been observed feeding upopn tritoniid nudibranchs of genus Marionia.
    It inhabits shallow water reef and is active nocturnally

References :

Bill Rudman Seaslug site : Sea Slug Forum : Gymnodoris aurita

Publications :

Gosliner, T.M. & Behrens, D.W. (1997)  Description of four new species of phanerobranch dorids (Mollusca: Nudibranchia) from the Indo-Pacific, with a redescription of Gymnodoris aurita (Gould, 1852). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 49(9): 287-308
    Gould, A.A. (1852) United States Exploring Expedition during the Years 1838-1842. Mollusca & Shells, 12 : 1-510. (with Atlas of Plates, 1856)

Other photos of Gymnodoris aurita :

Norbert Verneau          Mayotte, Dzaoudzi reef, 1-2 m, 11 Jully 2008, size : 80 mm
The eight (seven on this specimen) multipinnate gills are large, twice the animal's width	.

Alain-Benoît Rassat           Madagascar, Bobosse, Nosy Bé, 20 m 25 December 2015, size : 80 mm

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