Anatomical review ofDoris verrucosaand redescription ofDoris januarii(Gastropoda, Nudibranchia) based on comparative morphology

Abstract

Doris verrucosa Linnaeus, 1758 is the type species of Doris, the type genus of Dorididae. Its currently accepted distribution includes the Mediterranean, Eastern (Europe and Africa) and Western Atlantic (Massachusetts, USA to Santa Catarina, Brazil). Until now, papers on the anatomy of this species dealt with restricted characters such as rhinophores, radula and reproductive organs, never comparing specimens from different localities. In this study we have examined the anatomy of species similar to D. verrucosa from the Brazilian coast, and compared them with samples of D. verrucosa from Europe, the type locality. After an extensive complementary anatomical study of the circulatory, excretory, digestive, reproductive and nervous systems, the identity of the Brazilian specimens is clarified, proving that they belong to a different species. To solve the consequent nomenclatural gap, we revalidate Staurodoris januarii Bergh, 1878, described from Brazil, transferred to the genus Doris. The nominal species Doris verrucosa is, therefore, restricted to European waters.

Complementary anatomy of Actinocyclus verrucosus (Nudibranchia, Doridoidea, Actinocyclidae) from Indo-Pacific

“…18) like in other nudibranchs as, e.g., Doris verrucosa Linnaeus, 1758 (Lima and Simone 2015). However, some differences are visible between A. verrucosus and D. verrucosa as following: m5 pair originates on the middle region of the odontophore cartilages in A. verrucosus (Figs 19-20) instead on the posterior region in D. verrucosa (Lima and Simone 2015, fig. 8B); m6 located more anteriorly in A. verrucosus (Fig.…”

“…The last review of Actinocyclus was based on some traditional characters, such as the external morphology, the reproductive system and radular data (Valdés 2002). As have been seen in recent papers (e.g., DaCosta et al 2007, Simone 2011, Lima and Simone 2015, the scenario of the morphological characters is an effective tool to…”

“…Digestive, circulatory, excretory, reproductive and central nervous systems were investigated in detail. The terminology used for odontophore muscles was based on Ponder et al (2008), Simone (2011) and Lima and Simone (2015). Drawings were done with the aid of a camera lucida.…”

Nudibranch predation boosts sponge silicon cycling

“…The target species D. verrucosa is the dominant one, being at least one order of magnitude more abundant than the other species. The nudibranch D. verrucosa lives from the intertidal zone to 15 m depth along the Atlantic coast of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea, and is a strict spongivore 33 . This species has been reported feeding on the sponges Halichondria panicea, H. perlevis and Suberites carnosus in the Spanish Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean Sea 34,35 These three sponge species occur in the Bay of Brest, but we have only found D. verrucosa feeding on H. perlevis (Fig.…”

Revision of Platydoris angustipes and description of a new species of Platydoris (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) from southeastern Brazil based on comparative morphology

“…The terminology used for odontophore muscles was based on Ponder et al (2008), Simone (2011) and Lima and Simone (2015). Digital photographs were taken at each dissection step.…”