Dendronotus is a genus of sea slugs, nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Tritonioidea.[1]

Dendronotus
Dendronotus iris
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
(unranked):
Superfamily:
Family:
Genus:
Dendronotus

Alder & Hancock, 1845
Species:
see text
Type species
Doris arborescens Müller O.F., 1776
Synonyms[1]
  • Amphitrite Ascanius, 1774 (Invalid: junior homonym of Amphitrite Müller, 1771 [Annelida])
  • Campaspe Bergh, 1863
  • Pseudobornella Baba, 1932

This genus is within the clade Cladobranchia (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005).

Description edit

Dendronotus has an elongated, broad body, with 4 to 8 pairs of branched cerata on the notum. Animals in this genus have an obvious oral veil with 2 to 5 extensions. These extensions may be branched. Smaller unbranched extensions are found around the mouth. The rhinophores are surrounded by a sheath and the sheath itself has branched extensions. A large extension is found on the side at the base of each rhinophore. The anal opening occurs between the first and second set of dorsal cerata on the right side of the body.[2]

 
Woodcut of marine nudibranchs Eolis and Dendronotus[3]

Diet edit

This genus feeds on hydroids, as reflected by its serrated radula.[4] [5][6]

Species edit

Species within the genus Dendronotus include:

Species brought into synonymy
  • Dendronotus diversicolor Robilliard, 1972: synonym of Dendronotus albus MacFarland, 1966
  • Dendronotus luteolus Lafont, 1871: synonym of Dendronotus frondosus (Ascanius, 1774)
  • Dendronotus nanus Marcus & Marcus, 1967: synonym of Dendronotus iris J. G. Cooper, 1863
  • Dendronotus stellifer A. Adams & Reeve [in A. Adams], 1848: synonym of Bornella stellifer (A. Adams & Reeve [in A. Adams], 1848)
  • Dendronotus tenellus A. Adams & Reeve [in A. Adams], 1848: synonym of Bornella stellifer (A. Adams & Reeve [in A. Adams], 1848)

References edit

  1. ^ a b Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S. (2014). Dendronotus Alder & Hancock, 1845. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-01-22.
  2. ^ Ekimova, I.; Korshunova, T.; Schepetov, D.; Neretina, T.; Sanamyan, N.; Martynov, A. (2015). Integrative systematics of northern and Arctic nudibranchs of the genus Dendronotus (Mollusca, Gastropoda), with descriptions of three new species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 173(4): 841-886.
  3. ^ Beddard, Frank Evers (1892). Animal Coloration, Swan Sonnenschein.
  4. ^ Robilliard, G.A. (1970). The systematics and some aspects of the ecology of the genus Dendronotus. The Veliger, 12: 433–479.
  5. ^ W. J. Lambert (1991). "Coexistence of Hydroid Eating Nudibranchs: Do Feeding Biology and Habitat Use Matter?". The Biological Bulletin. 181 (2): 248–260. doi:10.2307/1542096. JSTOR 1542096. PMID 29304644.
  6. ^ Robilliard, G. A. (1972). "A new species of Dendronotus from the northeastern Pacific with notes on Dendronotus nanus and Dendronotus robustus (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia)". Canadian Journal of Zoology. 50 (4): 421–432. doi:10.1139/z72-060.

External links edit