_______________
Additional Photos
side
underside
rhinophores & gills
no marginal line
dark
young
regeneration
error
possible food sponge
mating
with egg mass _______________
GALLERY
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Ardeadoris angustolutea (Rudman, 1990)
Maximum size: 20 mm.
Identification:
This
is
an
elongate-oval
species with a cream body shading to opaque
white marginally and a narrow yellow marginal line. The
rhinophore clubs are orange-brown with a prominent white line on the posterior
face and the gills are white with brown on the
exterior face of the rachis. Some animals may lack the marginal yellow
line or have a yellowish notum. (see photo)
Natural history:
On Maui Ardeadoris angustolutea
is a moderately common diurnal species found in moderately exposed to
highly exposed rocky habitats at depths of 5-18 m (16-60 ft). Like many
chromodorids it vibrates its gills. It may feed on an encrusting, cream sponge that often forms short tubes. (Note 1) It lays a light-orange egg mass with a relatively smooth margin.
Distribution:
Big Island, Maui, Oahu and Kauai: widely distributed in the western and
central Pacific.
Taxonomic notes:
This species is listed in some sources as Noumea angustolutea. It was first
recorded
in
Hawaii
from Pupukea, Oahu by Laura Blackshaw on July
12, 2008. It's referred to as the "yellow-margin nudibranch" in the 2019 printing of Hoover, 2006.
Photo: Edward
Blackshaw: about 7 mm: found by Laura Blackshaw; Pupukea, Oahu; July
12, 2008.
Observations and comments:
Note
1: Several of David Rolla's Oahu photos show it closely associated with this sponge with some suggestion of feeding damage.
He reports that the photos (involving multiple animals) were taken in a
limited area at the back of a small cave. (pers. com.)
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