Goniobranchus cf. tinctorius ( Rüppell & Leuckart, 1830 )

Tibiriçá, Yara, Pola, Marta & Cervera, Juan Lucas, 2017, Astonishing diversity revealed: an annotated and illustrated inventory of Nudipleura (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) from Mozambique, Zootaxa 4359 (1), pp. 1-133 : 30-31

Goniobranchus cf. tinctorius ( Rüppell & Leuckart, 1830)

( Figures 7 E–F )

Material examined. Four specimens. MB28-004870, VAR, 23 May 2014, 3m, 62mm, collected at night; MB28- 0 0 4872, VAR, 23 May 2014, 3m, 84mm, collected at night; ZMBN94194, 2 spcs., VAR, 28 Jan. 2014, 4m, 50mm and 70mm.

Habitats. Artificial reef on seagrass bank in the transitional zone between the tropics and subtropics. Occurences. Vilanculos.

Geographic distribution. Indian Ocean. Oman (Gosliner et al. 2008), India (Remakrishna et al. 2010), Red Sea , South Africa ( Gosliner 1987) and Mozambique .

Remarks. There was a slight colour variation between the specimens mainly on the submarginal region of the mantle. The specimen MB28-004870 has a submarginal band formed by pinkish oval markings with white spots ( Fig. 7 E ); whereas, in specimen MB28-004872 the submarginal band lacks oval markings ( Fig. 7 F ). Both specimens were found together, therefore the difference is likely to be simply intraspecific variation. This species matches most of the original description of Goniobranchus tinctorius ( Rüppel & Leuckart 1828) , except by the dorsal part of the foot; which in the specimens from Mozambique is white with a purple-white edge, but in original description shows irregular colour with red spots. Our specimens, as with many of the red reticulate Goniobranchus , belong to a potential Goniobranchus tinctorius complex, which is in need of further studies (Gosliner et al. 2008, 2015).

Figures

FIGURE 7. A, Goniobranchus kitae (MB28-004868). B, Goniobranchus lekker (MB28-004435). C, Goniobranchus pruna (MB28-004571). D, Goniobranchus tennentanus (MB28-004664). E–F Goniobranchus cf. tinctorius (MB28-004870 and MB28-004872, respectively). G, Goniobranchus verrieri (MB28-004657). H, Hypselodoris bullockii (MB28-004828). I–J, Hypselodoris carnea (MHN-YT358, MB28-004477, ZMBN117032 and MHN-YT471, respectively). K, Hypselodoris emma (MB28-004548).L, Hypselodoris fucata (MB28-004791).