Author: Undescribed

Order: Nudibranchia  Family: Goniodorididae

Maximum Size: 7 mm

Sightings: Ambon, Indonesia

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Previously known on this site as Goniodoris sp. 05 – Change effected 26/04/2025.

Pelagella sp. 03 Undescribed

An uncommon species, undescribed, with the placement in Goniodoris uncertain. (See change to Pelagella above.)

Oval in shape with a mantle that overhangs the foot, apart from the tail that extends considerably past the mantle posteriorly and is rounded off. The mantle edge is turned up around the entire periphery giving an impression of a shallow dish. A distinctive feature is the several moderately-sized plain conical tubercles located down the centreline of the dorsum.

Essentially all white apart from some dark (brown) spots. The white is a “dirty” white due to the presence of fine brown speckling. The rhinophores are widely separated and have white stalks and brown perfoliate clubs. The gill is white with some fine light brown speckling and forms a circle around the anus. When feeding the broad oral veil, with its oral tentacles at each end, can be observed flattened against the substrate.

Size is small to 7 mm.

Only known from Indonesia at present.

It is the Goniodoris sp. 8 of Gosliner et al, 2018.

David A. Mullins – February 2024 – (Revised 26/04/2025)

References:
– Gosliner, T. M., Valde ́s, A ́. & Behrens, D. W. (2018). Nudibranch & Sea Slug Identification – Indo-Pacific, 2nd Edition. New World Publications, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

– Paz-Sedano, S., Diaz-Agras, G., Gosliner, T. M. & Pola, M. (2021). Revealing morphological characteristics of Goniodorididae genera (Mollusca: Nudibranchia). Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 22: 93–116.

– Paz-Sedano, S., Moles, J., Smirnoff, D., Gosliner, T. M. and Pola, M. (2023). A combined phylogenetic strategy illuminates the evolution of Goniodorididae nudibranchs (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Heterobranchia). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 107990

– Paz-Sedano, S., Cobb, G., Gosliner, T. M. & Pola, M. (2024). Filling gaps in the knowledge of Goniodorididae taxa (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia) with description of seven new species. Zootaxa. 5443(4): 523-547.