Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area, California

Compiled & photographed by Gary McDonald, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz

Description: General ground color translucent yellowish white. Dorsum, sides of body, sides of foot, and cerata bear numerous brownish-black spots and blotches. The 8-9 opposite pairs of cerata bear numerous ovoid tubercles which occur in 4-5 (sometimes indistinct) rings around each ceras; cores light tan to brownish. Rhinophores and rhinophore sheaths both bear numerous, small, opaque white dots distally, the margin of the rhinophore sheath is slightly scalloped. May be distinguished from Doto columbiana which has 5-6 pairs of cerata, dark pigment on sides of foot, and lacks opaque white flecks on rhinophores. May be distinguished from Doto amyra which lacks any dark pigment.
Size: Typically less than 8mm in length.
Notes: Often found on hydroids such as Plumularia sp.