Doris odhneri

Doris odhneri is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Dorididae.[2][3] It is known by many common names, such as: giant white nudibranch, giant white dorid, and white-knight nudibranch. It is also often referred to as Odhner's dorid to honor Nils Hjalmar Odhner, the scientist it is named after.[4]

Doris odhneri
Doris odhneri

Doris odhneri
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea
clade Doridacea
Superfamily:
Doridoidea
Family:
Dorididae
Genus:
Doris
Species:
D. odhneri
Binomial name
Doris odhneri
Synonyms
  • Archidoris odhneri (MacFarland, 1966)

Description

Doris odhneri is the largest nudibranch on the California coast, measuring up to 20 cm. It is completely white in color with no markings, however anomalies with a yellowish hue have been described in the Puget Sound region. A conspicuous characteristic of this nudibranch is its gill. It is composed of seven fluffy plumes and its rhinophores have 20 to 24 lamellae.[4][5][6]

Life Habits

Their diet consists of sponges, mostly Halichondria.[7] It is rarely found in the intertidal, and is more likely to be found in the subtidal to 75 ft. Like most nudibranchs, Doris odhneri is hermaphroditic and mates with the right sides of the body together. Elegant ribbon-like egg masses are laid and attached to hard substrates.[8]

Distribution

Doris odheri can be found from Kenai Peninsula, Alaska to Point Loma, California.[4]

References
  1. MacFarland, F.M. (1966) Studies of opisthobranchiate mollusks of the Pacific coast of North America. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences, 6: 1-546.
  2. Rosenberg, G. (2015). Doris odhneri MacFarland, 1966. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-12-04.
  3. Behrens D. W. (2004). "Pacific Coast Nudibranchs, Supplement 2. New species to the Pacific Coast and new information on the oldies". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 55: 11-54.
  4. Behrens D. W. (1991). Pacific Coast Nudibranchs.
  5. Rudman, W.B., 2000 (October 12) Archidoris odhneri (MacFarland, 1966). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  6. Behrens, D. W. (2006) Doris odhneri In: Miller, M. The Slug Site
  7. Kozloff E. (1993). Seashore life of the Northern Pacific Coast. University Press.
  8. Hildering, J. & Miller, G., 2007 (Jul 27) Doris odhneri eggs?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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