Apataidae, Korshunova, Tatiana, Martynov, Alexander, Bakken, Torkild, Evertsen, Jussi, Fletcher, Karin, Mudianta, I Wayan, Saito, Hiroshi, Lundin, Kennet, Michael Schroedl, & Picton, Bernard, 2017

Korshunova, Tatiana, Martynov, Alexander, Bakken, Torkild, Evertsen, Jussi, Fletcher, Karin, Mudianta, I Wayan, Saito, Hiroshi, Lundin, Kennet, Michael Schroedl, & Picton, Bernard, 2017, Polyphyly of the traditional family Flabellinidae affects a major group of Nudibranchia: aeolidacean taxonomic reassessment with descriptions of several new families, genera, and species (Mollusca, Gastropoda), ZooKeys 717, pp. 1-139 : 58-59

Family Apataidae fam. n.

Diagnosis.

Body narrow. Notum fully reduced. Cerata in separate rows, on elevations. Rhinophores perfoliated. Anus mixed, pleuroproctic in higher acleioproctic position. Distinct oral glands present. Radula formula 1.1.1. Rachidian teeth cusp compressed by adjacent lateral denticles. Lateral teeth smooth with attenuated process basally. Distal receptaculum seminis. Vas deferens moderately long, with indistinct prostate. External permanent penial collar absent. Penis conical, narrow, always internal unarmed.

Genera included.

Apata gen. n.,? Tularia Burn, 1966.

Remarks.

Another unexpected and novel result is the apparent phylogenetic relationship between Samlidae and a North Pacific species, Coryphella pricei MacFarland, 1966. In our analysis C. pricei appears either as sister to the Samlidae s. str. (i.e. Samla + F. babai ) or as a separate clade basal to Samlidae , Eubranchidae , and Tergipedidae (Figs 1, 2). Morphologically C. pricei is also quite separate from any Flabellinidae s. l. since it possesses peculiar comb-shaped ceratal rows in combination with a relatively long and thick vas deferens and smooth lateral teeth. Thus, C. pricei deserves not only a new genus but also a family-level taxon. Despite its somewhat unstable position, a new genus and family are established for C. pricei in order to highlight obvious morphological and molecular differences from the Samlidae ( Apata gen. n. and Apataidae , respectively).

Tularia bractea Burn, 1966 was described from southern Australia ( Burn 1966) and possesses simple raised rows of cerata instead of clusters or stalks, a triserial radula with smooth lateral teeth, and a reproductive system without a supplementary gland at the penis and single distal receptaculum seminis. These characters are in agreement with the diagnosis of the family Apataidae , and we therefore included Tularia in this family until molecular data are available.