taxonID	type	description	language	source
03A787D5FFD57C3DF6C1B664E88FA670.taxon	type_taxon	Type species Chromodoris kempfi Ev. Marcus, 1971.	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
03A787D5FFD57C3DF6C1B664E88FA670.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 7 C 3 EB 37 E- 557 F- 46 EC-AB 2 D- 739 B 06698359	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
03A787D5FFD57C3DF6C1B664E88FA670.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Combination of Neptune, Roman god of the sea and Azurea, from the medieval Latin ‘ azurium’ and latinization of the English word ‘ azure’ to describe the bright blue color of the species of the genus.	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
03A787D5FFD57C3DF6C1B664E88FA670.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Small chromodorids, up to 30 mm long. Body elongate, narrow, foot sides generally not visible. Dorsal mantle smooth, blue or white, with single central longitudinal line, white or pale blue. Mantle edge with single yellow, orange, or narrow white band. Posterior foot short, triangular. Rhinophores lamellate, blue, with up to 20 lamellae. Gill small; rachis blue; up to 10 short unipinnate or bipinnate leaves, blue or translucent white. Oral tube very long, three times as long as buccal bulb. Jaws with numerous mole-paw-shaped rodlets bearing 3 – 6 pointed cusps. Radula very small, with up to 37 elongate lateral teeth per half row. Lateral teeth with up to eight blunt apical cusps. Prostate short, undifferentiated. Vagina large. Uterine duct short, wide.	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
03A787D5FFD57C3DF6C1B664E88FA670.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Neptunazurea gen. nov. occurs in the tropical and subtropical Eastern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The genus includes the Eastern Pacific Neptunazurea porterae comb. nov., an ultramarine blue species with two longitudinal yellow stripes which the paw-like jaw rodlets were first illustrated by MacFarland (1966); the Western Atlantic species Neptunazurea kempfi comb. nov., distributed from Florida to southeastern Brazil, Neptunazurea sisalensis comb. nov. endemic to the Yucatan Peninsula, and the Eastern Atlantic Neptunazurea francoisae comb. nov. known from Cape Verde, Senegal, and Gabon. Although lacking molecular data, three other species similar in color pattern to N. francoisae are also part of the genus based on their external and internal morphology, including the presence of the diagnostic mole-paw shaped jaw rodlets: Neptunazurea garciagomezi (Ortea & Valdés, 1996) comb. nov. from Ghana, Neptunazurea molloi (Ortea & Valdés, 1996) comb. nov. from the Caribbean of Venezuela, and Neptunazurea paulomirpuri (Ortea & Moro, 2018) comb. nov. from Cape Verde. It remains unclear whether N. garciagomezi and N. paulomirpuri are truly distinct from N. francoisae, a question to be explored in future studies.	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
03A787D5FFD47C32F6C1B2F7EA6AA258.taxon	description	(Figs 1, 3 – 6)	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
03A787D5FFD47C32F6C1B2F7EA6AA258.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Holotype, BRAZIL, off Maranhão, 30. x. 1967, collected by Dr. Marc Kempf and ships Akaroa, Almirante Saldanha and Canopus, one slide with radula and jaw (MZSP 168976); Pernambuco, Fernando de Noronha, L. Simone coll., 03. v. 2013, one specimen, 5.5 mm long preserved (MZSP 112869); Rio de Janeiro, Cabo Frio, Ilha dos Papagaios, 09. xii. 2007, Fernanda Cavalcanti coll., one specimen (MZSP 97623), 13. xii. 2008, V. Padula coll., two specimens (MZSP 97634), 17. x. 2009, V. Padula coll., one specimen (MZSP 97579), 05. iii. 2016, V. Padula coll., two specimens, 9 mm long alive, 5 mm long preserved, one stub with radula and jaw (MNRJ 58193), Ilha dos Pargos e Capões, 13. xii. 2015, V. Padula coll., four specimens, 13 mm long alive, 8 mm long preserved, dissected, one stub with radula and jaw (MNRJ 58185), 13. xii. 2015, V. Padula coll., one specimen (MNRJ 58164), 17. iii. 2016, V. Padula coll., two specimens, 17 mm long alive (MNRJ 58197); São Paulo, São Sebastião, Ilha de Búzios, Vanessa Simão coll., 23. X. 2012, three specimens (MZSP 108879). USA, Florida, Florida Keys, 11. x. 2005, photo of two specimens, two sequences retrieved from the Genbank (SIO-BIC M 11641). COSTA RICA, Caribbean Sea, Punta Mona, 18. v. 2011, Yolanda Camacho-García coll., one specimen, 15 mm long alive (MZUCR 8379); one specimen, 22 mm long alive (MZUCR 8378).	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
03A787D5FFD47C32F6C1B2F7EA6AA258.taxon	description	External morphology (Fig. 3). Length 9 mm alive (MNRJ 58193), 13 mm alive (MNRJ 58185), 17 mm alive (MNRJ 58197), 22 mm alive (MZUCR 8378). Body elongate. Mantle projecting over oral region and lateral sides of foot. Posterior foot short, triangular. Oral tentacles small, conical. Rhinophoral sheath low, smooth. Rhinophores elongate with smooth stalks; median, apical regions lamellate. Gill small with up to nine unipinnate branchial leaves. Submarginal, rounded mantle glands present laterally, posteriorly; smaller glands anteriorly, larger posteriorly. Body color (Fig. 3). There are three main regional color morphs of N. kempfi. Florida and Caribbean morphotype (Figs 3 A – B). White or very light blue dorsum. White longitudinal midline runs between rhinophores, gill, circling around base of latter. Dark blue or black spots alternate in mantle between central line, mantle edge, being 5 – 15 between each rhinophore, gill. Spots smaller on anterior region of mantle. Rhinophores dark blue, translucent bases, darker tips. Gill blue, blue rachis, translucent white lamellae. Lateral sides, posterior foot light blue with or without faded white lines. Laterals, posterior foot scattered with small black spots in some specimens. Northeastern Brazilian morphotype (Figs 3 C – D). Blue or light blue dorsum. Variable white midline between rhinophores, gill, circling around base of latter. Submarginal region with alternating elongated black, white spots. Spots smaller on anterior region of dorsum. Rhinophores dark blue with translucent bases, darker tips. Gill blue with white base, blue rachis, translucent white lamellae. Lateral sides, posterior foot light blue with or without faded longitudinal white lines. Southeastern Brazilian morphotype (Figs 3 E – F). Blue or dark blue dorsum. Thin white midline between rhinophores, gill, circling around base of latter. Submarginal region black with alternating elongated, faded white spots. White spots absent on anterior region of dorsum. Rhinophores dark blue with translucent stalks. Gill blue with white bases, blue rachis, lamellae. Lateral sides, posterior foot blue or dark blue with or without faded longitudinal white lines. Jaw and radula (Figs 4 – 5). Oral tube very long, narrow, ending in ring-shaped jaw. Jaw ring with two large, almost rectangular lateral plates, thin ventral, dorsal ones. Jaw rodlets mole-paw shaped with 3 – 5 elongated pointed cusps. Base of cusps with small grooves. Very small radula, 0.6 mm in 9 - mm living specimen (MNRJ 58193). Rachidian teeth absent. Radular formula 45 × 20.0.20. Lateral teeth elongated, curved. Series of small, blunt cusps on apical region of teeth. Innermost lateral teeth with 5 – 6 cusps, Lateral teeth with 6 – 7 cusps. Marginal teeth smaller with eight cusps. Reproductive system (Fig. 6). Triaulic, occupying small space between buccal mass, digestive gland. Hermaphrodite duct wide, flattened, long. Ampulla short, small, situated above female gland. Prostate short, with single fold, without clearly differentiated deferent duct. Distal deferent duct short becoming wider in penial bulb region. Male, female opening in common atrium. Vagina wide, relatively long. Seminal receptacle pyriform, as large as 1 / 6 of bursa copulatrix, connecting dorsally into vagina by small, curved duct. Bursa copulatrix rounded. Uterine duct short, wide, connecting ventrally into medial region of vagina. Oviduct short. Female glands well developed. Vestibular gland covers right portion of female gland mass.	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
03A787D5FFD47C32F6C1B2F7EA6AA258.taxon	biology_ecology	Habitat. Occurs from the intertidal zone to 40 meters depth on rocky bottoms, coral reefs and rhodolite beds.	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
03A787D5FFD47C32F6C1B2F7EA6AA258.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Florida, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Martinique (Meyer 1977; Ortea et al. 1996; Collin et al. 2005; Valdés et al. 2006; Gutiérrez et al. 2015; Ortea & Buske 2018), northeastern Brazil: Maranhão (type-locality, Ev. Marcus 1971), Fernando de Noronha, Bahia (present study), southeastern Brazil: São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro (Bertoncini et al. 2019, present study).	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
03A787D5FFD47C32F6C1B2F7EA6AA258.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Neptunazurea kempfi comb. nov. was initially described as Chromodoris kempfi based on two specimens dredged from 37 meters depth off Maranhão, northern Brazil (Ev. Marcus 1971). In her description, Ev. Marcus (1971) emphasized the very small size of the radula and the unusual shape of the jaw elements, with 2 – 5 cusps. Rudman (1984) commented that the shape of the radular teeth and the presence of tricuspid elements in the jaw of C. kempfi were more similar to those of Mexichromis. After Rudman (1984), the species has been commonly included in Mexichromis (see Rudman 2003; Debelius & Kuiter 2007). This scenario changed with the molecular study by Johnson & Gosliner (2012), which resurrected Felimare to include the Eastern Pacific, Atlantic and Mediterranean species of Hypselodoris as well as M. kempfi and M. porterae. This proposal was based on the results of the molecular analysis but grouped species with distinct external and internal morphologies. Neptunazurea kempfi comb. nov. is clearly morphologically distinct from species of Felimare and Mexichromis and a member of a distinct lineage with unique characteristics among the Chromodorididae. The number and alternating pattern of dark dorsal spots in Neptunazurea kempfi comb. nov. are diagnostic and unique among Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Chromodorididae. However, the color variation observed in specimens from Florida, the Caribbean Sea, and Brazil suggests the potential existence of a species complex. Specimens photographed in northeastern Brazil (Figs 3 C – D) closely resemble the original description, exhibiting alternating elongate dark and white submarginal spots. In contrast, specimens from Florida and the Caribbean display reduced blue pigmentation on the dorsum, accompanied by larger and, in some cases, more numerous dark dorsal spots (Figs 3 A – B). Southeastern Brazilian specimens differ further, with a predominantly blue mantle, a submarginal black area, and small, faded white spots (Figs 3 E – F). Phylogenetic analysis reveals a separation between Florida, Caribbean and southeastern Brazilian specimens, albeit with short branches and low support values, possibly reflecting regional population structure. Pronounced intraspecific variation in coloration is well documented in other chromodorid genera such as Felimida and Chromodoris (Padula et al. 2016; Layton et al. 2018). Due to the absence of specimens from the type locality region in northern Brazil, the different morphotypes are regarded herein as color variants of Neptunazurea kempfi comb. nov.	en	Ribeiro, Antônia, García-Méndez, Kimberly, Valdés, Ángel, Schrödl, Michael, Padula, Vinicius (2025): Description of a new genus of Chromodorididae with a taxonomic review of Neptunazurea kempfi (Ev. Marcus, 1971) comb. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia). Zootaxa 5716 (3): 333-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.3.2
