Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area, California

Compiled & photographed by Gary McDonald, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz
Acanthodoris nanaimoensis O'Donoghue, 1921        
Wine-plumed Spiny Dorid
Mollusca: Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia: Nudibranchia: Doridina: Anadoridoidea: Onchidorididae
Geographic Range: Baranof Island, Alaska, to Santa Barbara, CA. Synonyms: Acanthodoris columbina
Back to: Doridina Back to: Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area
Acanthodoris_nanaimoensis_0042
Pigeon Pt., San Mateo Co., CA; 5 July 2008; 24mm total length.

Description: Dorsum greyish-white to dirty brownish-mauve in larger specimens, with numerous large yellow tipped papillae, with yellow band around margin of dorsum. Rhinophores long with about 22-30 lamellae, tipped with deep wine-red to maroon. Branchial plumes 7-9, bipinnate, greyish-white, usually tipped with deep wine-red to maroon.
Size: Typicallly about 25mm in length, but may reach 35mm.
Notes: May emit odor of cedar or sandalwood when handled. Jeff Goddard reports that it feeds on the bryozoan Alcyonidium polyoum.
Acanthodoris_nanaimoensis_0044
Pigeon Pt., San Mateo Co., CA; 5 July 2008; 24mm total length.		 Acanthodoris_nanaimoensis_0104
Pigeon Pt., San Mateo Co., CA; 11 Dec 2008; 29mm total length.
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Pigeon Pt., San Mateo Co., CA; 5 July 2008; 20mm total length.		  

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