Integrative description of two new Cratena species (Mollusca: Nudibranchia) from western India
Author
Bharate, Monisha
Author
Padula, Vinicius
Author
Apte, Deepak
Author
Shimpi, Gaurav G.
text
Zootaxa
2020
2020-01-30
4729
3
359
370
journal article
24211
10.11646/zootaxa.4729.3.4
5855c0d5-b127-4703-b7fe-73f6a0e0ec63
1175-5326
3632791
2C9FE705-82A5-498A-AA6D-9C7D078AEC10
Cratena poshitraensis
sp. nov.
(
Figures 2
A–B, 3A–B and 3E)
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:
12F30A89-1CD1-4AA2-B51E-8AB1BB037604
Cratena
sp.2—
Apte & Desai 2017: 424
.
Type Material.
Holotype
:
India
,
Gujarat
, Poshitra, intertidal, collected by
Deepak Apte
,
24.11.2011
, 25mm in length (
BNHS
Opistho 665)
.
Paratypes
:
2 specimens
, collected with the
holotype
at type locality,
24.11.2011
(
BNHS
Opistho 664)
;
5 specimens
, collected at type locality by Vishal Bhave,
30.03.2010
(
BNHS
Opistho 138)
.
Additional material.
INDIA
:
Gujarat
,
Poshitra
, intertidal,
15 specimens
, collected by
Deepak Apte
and
Vishal Bhave
,
11.12.2009
(
BNHS
Opistho 42)
.
Type
locality.
Poshitra
,
Gujarat
,
India
(
22°24’06.2”N
69°12’27.7”E
)
.
Etymology.
This species is named after its
type
locality, the village of Poshitra,
Gujarat
,
India
.
Description.
Aeolid up to
25 mm
long alive, oral tentacles long, 1/3 to 1/2 of body length; rhinophores smooth; five groups of cerata, precardiac group in an arch, postcardiac groups in rows; gonopore below first group of cerata, anus anterior to second group of cerata. Body white; lateral foot, head region and basal 1/3 of the oral tentacles and rhinophores translucent white; eyes visible through the mantle, behind rhinophores; pair of rectangular yellowish orange spots laterally on head, between rhinophores and oral tentacles; spots a bit larger dorsally on the head; central 1/3 of rhinophores translucent orange, apical 1/3 cream; cerata translucent, digestive gland varying from deep purplish-red to orange in colour; distally dark red; cnidosac triangular, white (
Figure 2
A–B). Radula with 24 rachidian teeth (BNHS Opistho 665, 25mm specimen); teeth almost triangular, large prominent and triangular central cusp with semicircular base; central cusp smooth; up to six, exceptionally seventh in lateral cusps, first and outermost lateral cusps smaller than middle ones (
Figure 3
); jaw plate roughly ovate, with a slight dorsal indentation, cutting edge projected in a short triangular area, denticulate border with a single row of elongate and bluntly pointed denticles; additional row of very small triangular denticles internally on cutting edge (
Figure 3
). Ampulla large, wide and curved; seminal receptacle large; penis short and globular with a small accessory portion (
Figure 4A
).
Habitat.
Found associated with the hydroid
Pennaria disticha
Goldfuss, 1820
(
Nagale & Apte 2014
). Abundant from November to March.
Distribution.
Poshitra, Porbandar, Dwarka, Okha and Veraval, state of
Gujarat
,
India
.