A phylogenetic analysis and systematic revision of the cryptobranch dorids (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Anthobranchia)
Author
Valdés, Ángel
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2002
2002-12-31
136
4
535
636
https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article-lookup/doi/10.1046/j.1096-3642.2002.00039.x
journal article
5419
10.1046/j.1096-3642.2002.00039.x
8acc9095-eaff-47d7-b3da-91b6c2fb636e
0024-4082
4634200
APHELODORIS ANTILLENSIS
BERGH, 1879
(
FIGS 4G
,
26
,
27
)
Aphelodoris antillensis
Bergh, 1879: 108–113
.
Doris bistellata
Verrill, 1900: 548
, pl. 66, fig. 2.
Type material
The
type
material of
Aphelodoris antillensis
could not be located at
ZMUC
(
K. Jensen
, pers. comm.) and is presumed lost
.
Additional material
Off ferry dock
,
Puerto
Morelos
,
South of Cancún
,
Quintana Roo
,
Mexico
,
28 March 1985
,
one specimen
,
10 mm
preserved length, leg.
T. M. Gosliner
(
CASIZ
071876
).
Burger King Reef
, near
Soto’s Reef
, South of
West Bay
,
Grand Cayman Island
,
Cayman Islands
,
8 May 1991
,
one specimen
,
18 mm
long, leg.
J. Hamann
(
CASIZ
077289
)
.
External morphology
The background colour is translucent pale cream, with numerous opaque white, yellow and brown spots (
Fig. 4G
). The arrangement, size and abundance of these spots is extremely variable. This variability has been described and illustrated in detail by
Hamann (1992)
. The rhinophores and gill are also translucent pale cream, having brown, yellow or opaque white spots, which vary in size and arrangement. The dorsum is smooth, bearing a few low and soft tubercles. The rhinophoral and branchial sheaths have no tubercles. There are six bipinnate branchial leaves, forming a circle. The anal papilla is situated in the centre of the branchial circle of leaves. The rhinophores are elongate, having nine lamellae in a 10-mm preserved length specimen.
Ventrally there are two large, blunt and grooved oral tentacles (
Fig. 26F
). The anterior border of the foot is grooved but not notched.
Anatomy
The posterior end of the glandular portion of the oral tube has six strong retractor muscles (
Fig. 26D
), which attach to the body wall. The oval, muscular buccal bulb has two large additional muscles attached; two long salivary glands connect with it at each side of the oesophageal junction. The buccal bulb is as long as the glandular portion of the oral tube. The labial cuticle is smooth. The radular formula is 31 ¥ 43.0.
43 in
a 10-mm preserved length specimen. Rachidian teeth are absent. The innermost lateral teeth are triangular, having a long cusp with 5–6 denticles (
Fig. 27A
). The following teeth are smooth. The teeth from the middle portion of the half-row are larger than those closer to the medial portion of the radula (
Fig. 27B
). The outermost teeth are smaller and also lack denticles (
Fig. 27C
). The oesophagus is short and connects directly to the stomach.
The ampulla is very long and convoluted (
Fig. 26B
). It branches into a short oviduct and the prostate. The oviduct enters the female gland mass near to its centre. The prostate is short and flattened. It connects with a long duct that narrows and expands again into the large ejaculatory portion of the deferent duct. The muscular deferent duct opens into a common atrium with the vagina. The vagina is long. At its proximal end it joins the bursa copulatrix. From the bursa copulatrix leads another duct connecting to the uterine duct and the seminal receptacle (
Fig. 26C
). The bursa copulatrix is oval in shape, about four times as large as the seminal receptacle.
In the central nervous system (
Fig. 26E
) the cerebral and pleural ganglia are fused and distinct from the pedal ganglia. There are four cerebral nerves leading from each cerebral ganglion and two pleural nerves leading from each pleural ganglion. There is no separate abdominal ganglion on the right side of the visceral loop. The buccal ganglia are near to the rest of the central nervous system, joined to the cerebral ganglia by two relatively short nerves. Gastrooesophageal, rhinophoral and optical ganglia are present. The pedal ganglia are clearly separated, having three nerves each one. The pedal and parapedal commissures are enveloped together with the visceral loop.
Figure 26.
Aphelodoris antillensis
(CASIZ 071876). A, general view of the anatomy; scale bar = 1 mm. B, reproductive system; scale bar = 1 mm. C, detail of several reproductive organs; scale bar = 1 mm. D, lateral view of the buccal bulb; scale bar = 1 mm. E, central nervous system; scale bar = 0.5 mm. F, ventral view of the mouth area; scale bar = 2 mm.
Figure 27.
Aphelodoris antillensis
(CASIZ 071876), SEM images of the radula. A, inner lateral teeth; scale bar = 15 Mm. B, mid-lateral teeth; scale bar = 15 Mm. C, outer lateral teeth; scale bar = 15 Mm.
The circulatory system (
Fig. 26A
) consists of a large heart and a blood gland situated behind the central nervous system.
Remarks
This common Caribbean species was described by
Bergh (1879)
based on several preserved specimens from St. Thomas,
Virgin Islands
. Ev. Marcus & Er.
Marcus (1963)
illustrated and described living animals for the first time.
Hamann (1992)
redescribed
A. antillensis
and synonymized it with
Doris bistellata
Verrill, 1900
.