Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area, California

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

Geitodoris heathi (MacFarland, 1905)
Heath's Dorid
Mollusca: Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia: Nudibranchia: Doridina: Eudoridoidea: Dorididae
Geographic Range: Prince William Sound, AK, to Bahia San Quintin, Baja California, Mexico. Synonyms: Discodoris heathi
Back to: Doridina Back to: Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 23 Nov 2007; ~37mm total length.

Description: Ground color varies from light yellow to a more dusky yellow-tan or raw umber, tuberculate dorsum usually darker medially, sprinkled with numerous minute red-brown and brown to black dots, usually with a major concentration just anterior of the branchial plumes; occasionally with a few small white blotches on dorsum. Rhinophores light yellow to dusky yellow, with 10-16 lamellae. Branchial plums 8-10, tripinnate, light yellow to dusky yellow, sprinkled with minute brownish flecks, rather whitish on tips. Can be distinguished from Doris montereyensis which has yellow to orange branchial plumes, larger tubercles on dorsum, and larger blotches of dark pigment on dorsum; and from Peltodoris nobilis which has white branchial plumes, and larger tubercles on dorsum.
Size: Typically about 25mm in length, but may exceed 60mm in length.
Notes: Feeds on sponges in the genera Adocia, Halichondria, Haliclona, Lissodendoryx, Mycale, Myxilla, & Terpios.

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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 1 Dec 2009; 27mm total length.
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Pigeon Pt., San Mateo Co., CA; 26 Oct 2007; total length ~41mm total length.
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Pigeon Pt., San Mateo Co., CA; 26 Oct 2007; total length ~68mm total length.
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Pigeon Pt., San Mateo Co., CA; 23 Dec 2007; 41mm total length.
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 28 Apr 2009; 22mm total length.
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 28 Apr 2009; 14mm total length.
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 25 May 2009; 7mm total length.
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Asilomar, Monterey Co., CA; 24 July 2009; 21mm total length.
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Pigeon Pt., San Mateo Co., CA; 26 Oct 2007; total length ~68mm total length. Close-up of rhinohores.
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Pigeon Pt., San Mateo Co., CA; 26 Oct 2007; total length ~33mm total length.

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