Notodoris gardineri nigerrima Yonow, 1994 Plate 24

Notodoris gardineri var. nigerrima Yonow, 1994a: 106, figs. 6C, 8A, B (Maldives); Debelius and Kuiter 2007: 93 (Maldives).

Material.

Maldives: 40 mm (35 × 7 mm pres.), Banana Reef, North Malé Atoll, 10 m depth on yellow sponge, night dive, 28 August 1993, leg. RC Anderson & SG Buttress; one individual photographed/described but not preserved, 63 mm (MDV/AB/96/16), Fulidhoo Channel, Felidhoo Atoll, 10 m depth on bare coral rock, 08 May 1996, RC Anderson & SG Buttress; photographs of one individual, 1986-1994, J Hinterkircher.

Remarks.

This dark colour form of Notodoris gardineri appears to be endemic to the Maldives island group (only one photo from more than 50 available on http://www.nudipixel.net/species/aegires_gardineri/ for example). Otherwise, Notodoris gardineri is common in and restricted to the Pacific, with no records from the western Indian Ocean other than form nigerrima from the Maldives.