Dolabrifera ascifera, (RANG, 1828)

Valdés, Ángel, Breslau, Eric, Padula, Vinicius, Schrödl, Michael, Camacho, Yolanda, Malaquias, Manuel António E., Alexander, Jennifer, Bottomley, Morgan, Vital, Xochitl G., Hooker, Yuri & Gosliner, Terrence M., 2018, Molecular and morphological systematics of Dolabrifera Gray, 1847 (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Heterobranchia: Aplysiomorpha), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 184, pp. 31-65 : 47-48

DOLABRIFERA ASCIFERA ( RANG, 1828)

( FIGS 10A–D, 11–13)

Aplysia ascifera Rang, 1828: 51–52 , pl. 4, figs 7–9. Type locality: ‘ Saint-Jean de Cayenne’ (=Cayenne), French Guiana.

Dolabrifera swiftii Pilsbry, 1896: 125 , pl. 67, figs 19–20. Type locality: West Indies.

Dolabrifera sowerbyi Guilding in Reeve, 1868: pl. 1, fig. 2a, b. Type locality: ‘St. Vincent’s W.I’.

Type material

Aplysia ascifera Rang, 1828 , two syntypes at MNHN ( Valdés & Héros, 1998).

Dolabrifera swiftii Pilsbry, 1896 , one syntype at ANSP 67519.

Dolabrifera sowerbyi Guilding in Reeve, 1868, two syntypes at NHMUK 1839.9.15.45.

Material examined

Lower Matecumbe Key , Florida, USA, intertidal, 22 September 1950, four specimens 21–34 mm preserved length ( LACM 1955 - 59.4 ) . Arrecife Gallega , Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico, 27 June 2014, one specimen 47 mm preserved length ( CNMO 6611 ) . Veracruz, Mexico, 16 June 1973, six specimens 30–45 mm preserved length, leg. J.W. Tunnell ( LACM 179119 ) . Arrecife Isla Lobos , Veracruz, Mexico, intertidal, 3 June 1973, three specimens 18–44 mm preserved length, leg. J.W. Tunnell ( LACM 179120 ) . Urchin Cove , Jamaica, 24 May 2006, one specimen 27 mm preserved length, leg. Ann DuPont ( LACM 173238 ) . East side of Playa El Yaque’s Lagoon, Isla Tortuga, Venezuela, 18 March 2010, 0.5 m depth, one specimen 55 mm preserved length ( ZMUB 84907.1 ) ; one specimen 54 mm preserved length ( ZMUB 84907.2 ) . Bocas del Drago , Bocas del Toro, Panama, 28 July 2015, one specimen 22 mm preserved length ( CPIC 01563 ) .

Description

External morphology: Body up to 90 mm long, oval to elongate, flattened, broader posteriorly, narrowing gradually towards head. Dorsum covered with numerous tubercles of different sizes, each with retractile, simple papilla on apex; larger tubercles surrounded by smaller ones ( Fig. 10A–D), tightly arranged, giving animal bumpy appearance. Rhinophores enrolled, elongated. Oral tentacles wide, short, enrolled, with narrower bases. Parapodia fused together except for short region in posterior midline, forming two small flaps. Flaps partially overlapping in middle (right parapodium partially covers left one), allowing enough space anteriorly for inhalant opening and posteriorly for exhalant siphon to protrude; edge of parapodia tuberculate. External sperm groove clearly visible on right side of animal, between mantle cavity and base of right oral tentacle.

External coloration: Background colour variable, brown or green, with spots and/or irregular patches of different colours. Mantle margin semi-translucent, with same general colour as rest of the body and light spots. Ventral side typically same colour as rest of the body with numerous white spots.

Digestive system: Radular formulae: 34 × 90.1.77 ( CPIC 01563); 35 × 90.1.95 ( LACM 173238); radulae typically asymmetrical, with more teeth in one half-row. Rachidian teeth with robust central cusp, two large denticles on each side ( Fig. 11A, D); teeth wider at base, both upper, lower ends of teeth convex. Some rachidian teeth with sharp conical extensions on one of the apical ends (typically right one). Lateral teeth elongate, with long bases ( Fig. 11B, E); each cusp with basal, blunt, inner denticle, apex bifurcated into two blunt denticles, one clearly larger. Outer teeth very elongate, with or without secondary denticle, apex bifurcate or simple ( Fig. 11C, F). Jaws with simple, irregular denticles ( Fig. 11J). Post-radular armature with numerous spines with elongate bases, triangular cusps ( Fig. 11K). Gizzard plates variable in shape, typically irregular, with some striations more visible near centre ( Fig. 11G–I).

Shell: Shell flat, well calcified, oval ( Fig. 12); nucleus conspicuous, formed by single lobe ( Fig. 12A–D, I, J), occasionally two ( Fig. 12E–H, K, L). On apertural view with nucleus on upper end, left side of shell either concave or straight. Right side of shell convex, narrower near nucleus, typically widening abruptly near mid-length, more gradually in some specimens. Widest portion of shell mid-length or slightly forward. Sculpture of conspicuous growth lines.

Male reproductive system: Penial canal long and muscular, lacking tubercles, with two proximal retractor muscles, one on each side of opening into body wall ( Fig. 13B–D). Penial canal ends in long retractor muscle connecting to ventral side of body wall internally. No distinguishable penial sheath. Penial papilla very long, occupies almost entire penial canal ( Fig. 13A).