Doris fontainii d'Orbigny, 1837

Cetra, Nicolás & Roche, Andrea, 2023, Nudibranchia (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from San Matías Gulf, Northern Argentine Patagonia, Zootaxa 5244 (5), pp. 455-473 : 458

Doris fontainii d'Orbigny, 1837

( Figures 2A , 3A )

Material examined. Argentina, San Matías gulf, Caleta Los Hornitos , BENTOS 2008, two specimens (MLP-Ma 14653); Río Negro: Las Grutas, REDE 2009 , one specimen, 15 m, 2011; San Antonio Este, Punta Villarino, five specimens ( MACN 13367 ); San Matías gulf, one, three and seven specimens ( MACN 21309 , MACN 21310 and MACN 21308 , respectively) .

Description. Length up to 70 mm, body oval, color varies from pale to dark yellow. Dorsal area covered by large tubercles that become smaller towards the edge of the mantle. Lamellate rhinophores, wide base and around 30 lamellae. Gill with 5-7 multipennate leaves around the anal papilla ( Figure 2A ). Radular formula is 35 x 63.0.63 (MLP-Ma 14653). Lateral teeth curved without denticles ( Figure 3A ).

Geographic distribution and depth range. Argentina, from San Antonio Cape ( Valdés & Muniain 2002); Arica, Chile (Schrödl 2000) to Islote Ferrol (09°08′22″S; 78°37′15″W), Ancash , Peru ( Araya & Valdés 2016). Usually found under rocks between six and 20 m depth .

Remarks. Doris fontainii is easily recognizable due to its large size, the bright yellow color of its body and a mantle covered with conspicuous tubercles. Some of the examined specimens present dark brown pigment between the tubercles which Schrödl et al. (2005) described as a characteristic of central and northern Chilean specimens.

Figures

FIGURE 2. (A) Doris fontainii, (B) Rostanga pulchra, (C) Diaulula punctuolata, (D) egg mass of Diaulula punctuolata, (E) Gargamella immaculata, (F) egg mass of Gargamella immaculata, (G) Geitodoris patagonica, (H) egg mass of Geitodoris patagonica.

FIGURE 3. Scanning electron micrographs. (A) Doris fontainii (MLP-MA 14653): radular teeth; (B-C) Rostanga pulchra (MLP-Ma 14654): (B) radular teeth (C) detail of the lateral teeth; (D) Diaulula punctuolata (MLP-Ma 14655): radular teeth; (E-F) Geitodoris patagonica (MLP-Ma 14656): (E) lateral and marginal teeth (F) detail of the marginal teeth.