Goniobranchus decorus

Species Profile
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Goniobranchus decorus
Author: (Pease, 1860)
Order: Nudibranchia Family: Chromodorididae
Maximum Size: 20 mm
Sightings: Sunshine Coast
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Goniobranchus decorus has gone through several name changes over the years.
Doris decora -> Glossodoris decora -> Chromodoris decora -> Goniobranchus decorus
Pease first described this nudibranch from Hawaii as Doris decora in 1860 but did not include an illustration. His description however contained the following: “…. a medial whitish longitudinal strip which is bifurcated posteriorly and dotted with purple.”
Bergh in 1880 published an illustration of a nudibranch recognising the name that Pease gave it earlier and which clearly showed the features described.
In 1938 Baba described a similar animal but although it did have a white forked medial line, that line did not bear the purple spots. He named his animal Glossodoris setoensis.
In a little known paper Allan, J., 1947 stated under the heading of Glossodoris decora (Pease), 1860: “….leaves little doubt that G. setoensis, Baba is a synonym of it.”
Later again, in 1953, Baba recognised Allan’s conclusion and in a revised list of Glossodoris species, published:
Glossodoris decora (Pease, 1860) = G. setoensis (Baba, 1938). (See Allan, 1947).
So the original author of setoensis himself, also synonymized it with decora.
Rudman, 1986 also states: “….G. setoensis should be considered a junior synonym of C. decora.”
Marshall & Willan, 1999, also list Glossodoris setoensis as a synonym.
Nudibranch & Sea Slug Identification – Indo-Pacific 2nd edition (NSSI ii) does show both variations but with the caveat: “Additional work is necessary to determine whether these are colour variants or distinct species.” In other words they do not know, until molecular sequencing is undertaken.
In Johnson & Gosliner, 2012, Goniobranchus setoensis was not sequenced but only included as a hypothesized member.
We have decided to remain with Goniobranchus decorus until such time as that additional work is undertaken.
David A. Mullins – January 2023
References:
– Pease, W. H. (1860). Descriptions of new species of mollusca from the Sandwich Islands. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 28: 18-37.
– Bergh, L. S. R. (1880). Malacologische Untersuchungen 1 (Supplement 1). In C. Semper (Ed.), Reisen im Archipel Philippinen, Wissenschaftliche Resultate, 2(4): 1-78, pls A-F.
– Baba, K. (1938). Opisthobranchia of Kii, Middle Japan. Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Kyushu Imperial University, 6: 1-19.
– Allan, J. (1947). Nudibranchia from the Clarence River Heads, north coast, New South Wales. Records of the Australian Museum, 21: 433-463, pls 41-43.
– Baba, K. (1953). Three new species and two new records of the genus Glossodoris from Japan. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 3: 205-211.
– Rudman, W. B. (1986). The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: Noumea purpurea and Chromodoris decora colour groups. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 86(4): 309-353.
– Marshall, J. G. & Willan, R. C. (1999). Nudibranchs of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef: A survey of the Opisthobranchia (sea slugs) of Heron and Wistari Reefs; Backhuys: Leiden, The Netherlands, 1999.
– Johnson, R. F. & Gosliner, T. M. (2012). Traditional taxonomic groupings mask evolutionary history: A molecular phylogeny and new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs. PLoS One 7 (4): e33479.
– Gosliner, T. M., Valdés, Á., Behrens, D. W. (2018). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification: Indo-Pacific – 2nd Ed. New World Publications, Jacksonville, Florida.
Other Sea Slugs in this Family (sighted)
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Ardeadoris angustolutea
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Ardeadoris averni
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Ardeadoris egretta
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Ardeadoris electra
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Ardeadoris rubroannulata
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Ardeadoris sp. 01
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Ardeadoris symmetrica
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Cadlinella ornatissima
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Ceratosoma amoenum
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Ceratosoma sp. 01
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Ceratosoma sp. 02
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Ceratosoma tenue
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Ceratosoma trilobatum
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Chromodoris annae
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Chromodoris aspersa
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Chromodoris burni
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Chromodoris colemani
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Chromodoris elisabethina
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Chromodoris joshi
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Chromodoris kuiteri
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Chromodoris lochi
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Chromodoris magnifica
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Chromodoris sp. 02
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Chromodoris sp. 03
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Chromodoris sp. 05
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Chromodoris strigata
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Chromodoris willani
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Diversidoris aurantionodulosa
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Diversidoris cf. aurantionodulosa
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Diversidoris crocea
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Diversidoris flava
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Diversidoris sp. 01
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Diversidoris sp. 02
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Diversidoris sp. 03
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Doriprismatica atromarginata
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Doriprismatica dendrobranchia
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Doriprismatica sibogae
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Glossodoris aeruginosa
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Glossodoris hikuerensis
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Glossodoris rufomarginata
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Glossodoris sp. 03
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Glossodoris sp. 04
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Glossodoris sp. 05
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Glossodoris vespa
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Goniobranchus albonares
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Goniobranchus albopunctatus
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Goniobranchus alius
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Goniobranchus aureopurpureus
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Goniobranchus coi
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Goniobranchus conchyliatus
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Goniobranchus daphne
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Goniobranchus decorus
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Goniobranchus fidelis
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Goniobranchus geometricus
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Goniobranchus kuniei
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Goniobranchus leopardus
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Goniobranchus preciosus
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Goniobranchus rufomaculatus
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Goniobranchus sinensis
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Goniobranchus sp. 01
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Goniobranchus sp. 02
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Goniobranchus sp. 03
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Goniobranchus sp. 04
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Goniobranchus sp. 05
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Goniobranchus sp. 06
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Goniobranchus sp. 07
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Goniobranchus sp. 08
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Goniobranchus sp. 09
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Goniobranchus sp. 10
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Goniobranchus splendidus
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Goniobranchus tinctorius
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Goniobranchus verrieri
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Hypselodoris apolegma
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Hypselodoris babai
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Hypselodoris bennetti
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Hypselodoris bullockii
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Hypselodoris decorata
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Hypselodoris emma
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Hypselodoris iacula
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Hypselodoris imperialis
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Hypselodoris jacksoni
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Hypselodoris lacuna
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Hypselodoris maculosa
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Hypselodoris maritima
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Hypselodoris melanesica
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Hypselodoris obscura
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Hypselodoris roo
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Hypselodoris sagamiensis
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Hypselodoris sp. 02
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Hypselodoris sp. 04
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Hypselodoris sp. 06
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Hypselodoris sp. 08
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Hypselodoris sp. 09
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Hypselodoris sp. 10
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Hypselodoris tryoni
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Hypselodoris variobranchia
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Hypselodoris whitei
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Hypselodoris zephyra
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Mexichromis aurora
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Mexichromis cf. multituberculata
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Mexichromis festiva
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Mexichromis macropus
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Mexichromis mariei
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Mexichromis pusilla
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Mexichromis trilineata
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Miamira magnifica
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Miamira moloch
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Miamira sinuata
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Thorunna australis
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Thorunna daniellae
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Thorunna florens
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Thorunna furtiva
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Thorunna halourga
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Thorunna montrouzieri
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Thorunna sp. 01
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Thorunna sp. 02
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Thorunna sp. 04
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Thorunna sp. 05
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Thorunna sp. 06
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Thorunna sp. 07
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Verconia alboannulata
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Verconia cf. varians
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Verconia decussata
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Verconia haliclona
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Verconia laboutei
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Verconia norba
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Verconia romeri
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Verconia simplex
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Verconia sp. 02
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Verconia sp. 03
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Verconia sp. 04
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Verconia sp. 05
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Verconia varians
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Verconia verconiforma