Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area, California

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

Description: Ground color translucent greyish-white. Irregular patches of yellow-green to brown-green occur on body, with smaller spots of olive to pale green and pale yellow to bright orange. Low conical papillae on body are tipped with yellow. Occasional individuals have a series of opaque white blotches medially on dorsum between successive pairs of cerata. The 3-9 opposite pairs of cerata bear rather short branches, which are flecked with yellow distally; cores light green to brown. Frontal veil bears 4-8 branched, tapered processes; of these, two on either side of median line are larger and relatively constant, between these may occur smaller, less branched processes. Rhinophores bear 6-14 lamellae. A short process with short branches occurs distally near base of rhinophore shaft. Rhinophore sheath bears 4-5 branched processes, postero-medial process longest and most branched. Rhinophores translucent greyish-green, with irregular patches of yellow-green to brown-green, clavus slightly darker shade of grayish-green.
Size: Typically about 25mm in length, but may exceed 100mm.
Notes: A highly variable species, the individuals found on our Pacific coast may be distinct from the individuals found in Britain & Europe; if so, our species would take the name Dendronotus venustus.