Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area, California

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

Doto Form A of Goddard               
Southern Doto
Mollusca: Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia: Nudibranchia: Dendronotina: Dotoidae
Geographic Range: Limantour Estero in Marin Co., CA to southern CA. Synonyms:
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Monterey Harbor Docks, Monterey Co., CA; 7 May 2009; 6mm total length.

Description: Ground color translucent cream-white, with no dark pigment on body. The 5-6 opposite pairs of cerata bear numerous rather long, distinctly white papillae; cores are typically bright pink to salmon or rose. Rhinophores & calyciform rhinophore sheath with numerous small, opaque white dots. The lack of dark pigment distinguishes this species from Doto columbiana & Doto kya both of which have dark pigment on the body. May be distiguished from Doto amyra which has comparatively shorter papillae on the cerata, and cerata cores which vary from pale yellow, or light pinkish-orange or orange-brown.
Size: Typically about 8mm in length.
Notes: They lay small eggs that develop into planktotrophic larvae compared to the larger eggs and lecithotrophic development of Doto amyra. It is the common form in southern California.

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Monterey Harbor Docks, Monterey Co., CA; 7 May 2009; 6mm total length. Close-up of rhinophore.
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Harbor Master Docks, Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo Co., CA; 11 Nov 1973; 10mm total length.
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Elkhorn Slough, Monterey Co., CA; 6 MAy 1977; ~10mm total length.
 

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