Dolabrifera virens, VERRILL, 1901

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 : 54-57

DOLABRIFERA VIRENS VERRILL, 1901

( FIGS 10G–H, 17–19)

Dolabrifera virens Verrill, 1901: 24–25 , pl. 2, fig. 4, 5, pl. 4, fig. 11. Type locality: Hungry Bay, Bermuda.

Type material

Dolabrifera virens Verrill, 1901 , two syntypes at YPM IZ 048817 (wet) and YPM IZ 029268 (dry).

Material examined

Urchin Cove , St Ann’s Bay, Jamaica (18°27.20′N, 77°13.55′W), 0.3–0.6 m depth, 25 May 2006, two specimens 10–15 mm preserved length, leg. A. DuPont ( LACM 173265 ) . Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida, USA, 8 m depth, 18 June 2014, one specimen 21 mm preserved length, leg. A. Dimitris ( CPIC 01134 ) . Vista Alegre , Curaçao (12°0.50′N, 68°53.30′W), intertidal, 23 April 1939, nine specimens 14–40 mm preserved length ( LACM 1939 - 215.1 ) .

Description

External morphology: Body up to 80 mm long, oval, flattened, broader posteriorly, narrowing slightly towards head. Dorsum covered with densely packed tubercles of different sizes, each with elongate papilla on apex, some ramified at tips; larger tubercles surrounded by smaller ones, each bearing papilla, giving animal appearance of being densely covered with papillae ( Fig. 10G–H). 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, red, brown or green, sometimes white, with spots and/or irregular patches of different colours. Mantle margin semi-translucent, with same general colour as rest of body and few small white dots. Ventral side typically same colour as rest of the body with numerous white spots.

Digestive system: Radular formulae: 32 × 61.1.60 ( LACM 173265A); 27 × 50.1.57 ( LACM 173265B); radulae nearly symmetrical, with about same number of teeth on each row. Rachidian teeth with robust central cusp, two large denticles on each side ( Fig. 17A, D); teeth wider at base, both upper and lower ends of teeth convex. Lateral teeth elongate, with long bases ( Fig. 17B, E); each cusp with two to three basal, blunt, inner denticles, apex bifurcated into two blunt denticles equal in size. Outer teeth very elongate, with secondary denticle, apex bifurcate ( Fig. 17C, F). Jaws with simple, irregular denticles ( Fig. 17J). Post-radular armature with numerous spines with elongate bases and low cusps ( Fig. 17K). Gizzard plates variable in shape, typically short, wide, with some striations more visible near one end ( Fig. 17G–I).

Shell: Shell flat, well calcified, elongate, width/ length ratio greater than 1:2 ( Fig. 18); nucleus inconspicuous, short, formed by single lobe. On apertural view with nucleus on upper end, left side of shell either concave or straight. Right side of shell convex, narrower near nucleus, widening gradually towards mid-length. Widest portion of shell mid-length or slightly backward. Sculpture of conspicuous growth lines.

Male reproductive system: Penial canal long, muscular, lacking tubercles, with two proximal retractor muscles, one on each side of opening into body wall ( Fig. 19B, C). 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. 19A).