Diversidoris flava (Eliot, 1904)

Version française...

This species has been observed on Reunion and Seychelles Islands


Order : Nudibranchia
Suborder : Euctenidiacea
Superfamily : Doridoidea
Family : Chromodorididae
Distribution : Originally described from East Africa but has an Indo-West Pacific distribution
Maximal size : 15 mm
Abundance : Seldom if ever on the fore reef zone

Species characteristics :

The whole animal (the mantle, the foot, the rhinophores and the gills ) is a beautiful lemon yellow.

There is a thin bright red or orange-red line right at the edge of the mantle. This line widens at fairly regular intervals to give a pattern of spaced semi-circular spots around the mantle edge

The mantle is constricted at the center of the body to form an hour-glass shape

Noumea flava
Showing species characteristics...
Photo Sophie Darnis
Reunion, "Passe de l'Ermitage " at Saint Gilles, 16 m, 20 December 2010, size : 8 mm

See more about : Sightening and mating periods

Remarks :

Identification confirmed by Nathalie Yonow
    Synonymous : (according Worms)
          - Chromodoris flava, Eliot, 1904
          - Glossodoris flava, (Eliot, 1904)
          - Noumea flava, (Eliot, 1904)

Bibliographic data :

The gills are simple and arranged in a circle around the anus.
     The mantle is reduced in this species, high in profile and the foot is large
     The foot hasn't a red border...
    Feeds on yellow sponges on shallow reefs
    D. flava is part of a group of yellow Chromodorididae which includes D. flava, D. crocea, D. sulphurea, V. laboutei, V. closeorum and the yellow form of N. haliclona but D. flava is the only species with a bright red or deep orange-red line around the mantle edge which widens regularly to form a series of spots.

References :

Bill Rudman Seaslug site : Sea Slug Forum : Noumea flava
   Nudipixel Noumea flava

Publications :

Johnson R.F. & Gosliner T.M. (2012) Traditional taxonomic groupings mask evolutionary history: A molecular phylogeny and new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs. PLoS ONE 7(4): e33479
    Rudman, W.B. (1986) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: Noumea flava colour group. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 88 : 377-404.

Other photos of Diversidoris flava :


 

 

Sophie Darnis

Seychelles, "Sisters Islands", 17 m, 2 December 2010, size : 20 mm

The mantle is constricted at the center (a) of the body to form an hour-glass shape