Pleurobranchus reticulatus, Rang, 1842

Grzelak, Katarzyna & Sørensen, Martin V., 2022, Echinoderes galadrielae Grzelak & amp; Sørensen 2022, sp. nov., Zoological Studies 55 (15), pp. 1-31 : 26

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.7225407
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/7B5BA125-7B5A-0278-4E30-7C88FCF52AB0
treatment provided by	Valdenar
scientific name	Pleurobranchus reticulatus
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Distiction between Pleurobranchus reticulatus View in CoL and P. areolatus of the present study and sensu

Goodheart et al. (2015)

Pleurobranchus reticulatus and P. areolatus were misidentified for a long time because of their simple descriptions, without photographs of living animals. However, living specimens are clearly distinguished by the color of the rhinophores ( Table 1), at least in specimens from Brazil. In mature or juvenile specimens of P. reticulatus , the color of the rhinophores is variable (dark orange, red, dark red or black), but with a single color in each specimen ( Figs. 1 View Fig A-B); while in P. areolatus , the color has the same pattern as the dorsum (with white blotches) ( Fig. 1C View Fig ). Moreover, P. reticulatus is larger (up to 120 mm long) and has more pinnae (12-16) free from the body wall than P. areolatus (up to 50 mm long, with 9 pinnae). The diameter of the mantle tubercles is quite different in P. areolatus (125 - 375 μm, Fig. 1C View Fig ) and P. reticulatus (1-3 mm, Fig. 1 View Fig A-B). Additionally, the penis of P. reticulatus has a more developed leaflet attached in the convex portion of the penis ( Figs. 3 View Fig C-D) in comparison to P. areolatus ; the gonopore is surrounded by two wide flaps in P. reticulatus , which is absent in P. areolatus ; the prostate is tubular and highly convoluted in P. reticulatus , while in P. areolatus is elongated with the proximal portion rounded, seems detached circle ( Fig. 7D View Fig ); and, the jaws of P. areolatus , the smaller species, have more rows and fewer platelets per row (80 transverse rows and 35 platelets per row) than P. reticulatus (59-70 transverse rows and 39-46 platelets per row) ( Table 1). In Brazil, P. reticulatus is a common species, while P. areolatus is rare and until now was only recorded from northeastern Brazil ( Padula et al. 2012).