Author: Undescribed

Order: Nudibranchia  Family: Discodorididae

Maximum Size: 35 mm

Sightings: Sunshine Coast

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Atagema sp. 06

The animal is light brownish purple with darker patches between a complex network of ridges, resembling the oscula of sponges, evenly distributed over the body. The darker patches are depressions that are not covered with tubercles and appear larger anteriorly. The patches between the ridges can be seen to be filled with a white reticulum.The medial ridge is covered with a number of small caryophyllidia. A prominent hump is situated midway along a dorsal ridge that runs from between the rhinophores to the gill pocket. The caryophyllidia have a cylindrical base and a central knob surrounded by spicules. The rhinophoral sheaths are elongate, ruffled apically and also covered with caryophyllidia. The rhinophores are the same colour as the rest of the body; the branchial leaves were not visible in the photographs. The mantle margin is much wider than the foot. The oral tentacles appear conical in shape. The ventral colour is lighter than the dorsum with the previously mentioned white reticulum being the dominant feature. The conical oral tentacles can be seen on the specimen’s left.