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
HEXABRANCHUS SANGUINEUS
(
CUVIER, 1804
)
(
FIGS 13
,
14
)
Doris lacera
Cuvier, 1804: 452
, 453–465, 473, pl. 73, figs 1–3 (
nomen oblitum
).
Doris sanguinea
Rüppell & Leuckart, 1830: 30–31
, pl. 1, fig. 1 (
nomen protectum
).
Hexabranchus praetextus
Ehrenberg, 1828
–31 [1831]: 30–31, pl. 1, fig. 1A–C.
Heptabranchus burnettii
A.
Adams, 1848: 494
.
Aethedoris indica
Abraham, 1877: 237
.
Albania formosa
Collingwood, 1881: 133
, pl. 10, figs 1– 5.
Only the
type
species of synonyms of
Hexabranchus
are listed here; for a complete list of synonyms see
Thompson (1972)
.
Type material
Doris lacera
Cuvier
,
SYNTYPES
: Indian Ocean (= Mer des Indes), date and exact locality unknown, two specimens, 30 and
76 mm
preserved length, dissected (
MNHN
).
Hexabranchus praetextus
Ehrenberg
,
SYNTYPE
: El Tûr (= Tor),
Egypt
, date unknown, one specimen,
125 mm
preserved length (
MNHB
566).
SYNTYPE
: El Tûr (= Tor),
Egypt
, date unknown, one specimen,
110 mm
preserved length, partially dissected (
MNHB
567). The
holotypes
of
Heptabranchus burnettii
(originally collected from Borneo),
Aethedoris indica
(originally collected from Madras,
India
) and
Albania formosa
(originally collected from Ke-lung,
Formosa
) could not be located at
BMNH
and are probably lost. The type material of other synonyms of
Hexabranchus
has not been traced.
Additional material
Reef near Hotel Coelacanth
, North end of
Moroni
,
Grand Comore Island
,
Mozambique
Channel,
6 March 1975
,
one specimen
,
104 mm
preserved length, leg.
S. Earle
and
A. Giddings
(
CASIZ
068296
).
Tire Reef
,
2 km
north of
Mora Mora Village
,
Madagascar
,
9 April 1989
,
two specimens
,
94–100 mm
preserved length, leg.
T. M. Gosliner
(
CASIZ
071897
)
.
External morphology
The external morphology and behaviour of this species have been widely described.
Thompson (1972)
and
Gohar & Soliman (1963)
found wide chromatic variation.
The general colour of the living animals is very variable. It normally varies from pale orange to bright red. In some specimens there is a number of small white or yellowish dots on some areas or on the entire dorsum. Other specimens have large bright red or pinkish spots, or a pale concentric band. Sometimes the mantle margin is surrounded by a yellow line. The rhinophores are red to yellowish, with white spots in some specimens. The gill has normally the same colour as the dorsum, with the rachises of the branchial leaves white or yellowish. The dorsum is smooth. There are 7–9 tripinnate, non-retractile branchial leaves. The anal papilla is prominent, situated in the centre of the branchial circle of leaves. The rhinophores are elongate, having 45 lamellae in a 100-mm preserved length specimen.
Ventrally there are two large, flattened and lobate oral tentacles (
Fig. 13F
). The anterior border of the foot is simple.
Anatomy
The posterior end of the glandular portion of the oral tube has 18 strong retractor muscles (
Fig. 13E
) which attach to the body wall. The oval, muscular buccal bulb has several additional muscles attached together; two long and wide salivary glands connect with it at each side of the oesophageal junction. The buccal bulb is three times longer than the glandular portion of the oral tube. The labial cuticle is completely covered with simple rodlets (
Fig. 14D
). The radular formula is 36 ¥ 77.0.
77 in
a 100-mm long specimen. Rachidian teeth are absent. The lateral teeth are narrow and elongate, having a single cusp and lacking denticles (
Fig. 14A
). The teeth from the middle portion of the half-row are larger than those closer to the medial portion of the radula (
Fig. 14B
). The outermost teeth are smaller and also lack denticles (
Fig. 14C
).
The ampulla is very long and convoluted. It branches into a short oviduct and the prostatic portion of the deferent duct (
Fig. 13C
). The oviduct enters the female gland mass near to its centre. There is no differentiated prostate, but a long, folded and tubular deferent duct (
Fig. 13B
). The prostatic region of the deferent duct expands into the huge ejaculatory portion, which opens into a short common atrium with the vagina. The vagina is long and wide. Near to its proximal end it joins the bursa copulatrix. From the bursa copulatrix leads another duct that connects to the uterine duct and the seminal receptacle. The bursa copulatrix is rounded in shape and several times larger than the elongate seminal receptacle (
Fig. 13B
).
In the central nervous system (
Fig. 13D
) the cerebral and pleural ganglia are fused and distinct from the pedal ganglia. The cerebral and pleural ganglia are entirely covered with large ganglionic tubercles. There are three 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. Gastro-oesophageal, rhinophoral and optical ganglia are present. The pedal ganglia are clearly separated, having four nerves leading from each one. The pedal and parapedal commissures are enveloped together with the visceral loop.
The circulatory system (
Fig. 13A
) consists of a large heart and a single large blood gland situated beneath the central nervous system.
Remarks
First
Eliot (1910)
and then
Thompson (1972)
considered that most of the nominal species assigned to the genus
Hexabranchus
are synonyms. Only the Atlantic
Hexabranchus mormosus
Marcus & Marcus, 1962
was dubiously regarded as a different species for biogeographical reasons. The arguments of Eliot and Thompson are convincing, but despite the latter’s suggestion that
Doris sanguinea
Rüppell & Leuckart, 1830
has priority over other synonyms, the name
Doris lacera
Cuvier, 1804
is much older and must be the valid name for the Indo-Pacific species of
Hexabranchus
. A re-examination of the
syntypes
of
Doris lacera
confirmed they are conspecific with
Hexabranchus sanguineus
.
Doris lacera
has been ignored by all authors dealing with
Hexabranchus
. According to Article 23.9.1 (
ICZN, 1999
), if a senior synonym has not been used as a valid name since 1899, and its junior synonym has been used for the same species in at least 25 papers, published by at least 10 authors in the immediately preceding 50 years and encompassing a span not less than 10 years, the usage of the junior synonym must be maintained. The name
D. lacera
has only been used as valid in its original description in 1804, whereas the name
H. sanguineus
is in constant usage in the literature. More than 30 papers, books and field guides using the name
H. sanguineus
as valid have been published during the last 20 years by more than 15 authors. Therefore, the name
H. sanguineus
is here conserved (
nomen protectum
) and
H. lacer
is regarded as invalid (
nomen oblitum
).
The
type
species of other synonymous generic names:
Hexabranchus praetextus
Ehrenberg, 1828
,
Heptabranchus burnettii
A.
Adams, 1848
and
Aethedoris indica
Abraham, 1877
, are also regarded as synonyms of
Hexabranchus sanguineus
.