Doto fragilis

Doto fragilis
	The nudibranch Doto fragilis, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Heterobranchia; clade Euthyneura; clade Nudipleura; clade Nudibranchia; clade Dexiarchia; clade Cladobranchia; clade Dendronotida
Superfamily:	Tritonioidea
Family:	Dotidae
Genus:	Doto
Species:	D. fragilis
Binomial name
	Doto fragilis; Forbes, 1838
Synonyms
	Doto aurita Hesse, 1872 (dubious synonym); Doto pinnigera Hesse, 1872; Melibaea fragilis Forbes, 1838; Meliboea minuta Forbes, 1844;

Doto fragilis is a species of sea slug, a Dendronotid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Dotidae.^[2]

Subspecies

Doto fragilis nipponensis Baba, 1971
Doto fragilis umia Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1969: synonym of Doto chica Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1960

Distribution

This species was first described from the Isle of Man, Irish Sea, United Kingdom. It has subsequently been reported from all around Britain and Ireland and continental coasts south to Portugal and into the Mediterranean Sea.^[3]

Description

The body of this dendronotid nudibranch is predominantly brown in colour. There is a series of pale patches along the sides of the body.^[4]

Ecology

Doto fragilis feeds on the hydroids Nemertesia antennina and Nemertesia ramosa, family Plumulariidae.

External links

Gastropods.com: Doto fragilis fragilis

References

^ Forbes, E. 1838. Malacologia Monensis: a catalogue of the Mollusca inhabiting the Isle of Man and the neighbouring sea. Edinburgh: J. Carfrae and son pp. XII + 63 + 3 pl.
^ Gofas, S. (2015). Doto fragilis (Forbes, 1838). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-01-26.
^ Rudman, W.B., 1999 (August 29) Doto fragilis (Forbes, 1838). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
^ Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C., 2010. Doto fragilis (Forbes, 1838). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland

Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca. in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels. 50: pp. 180–213

[Forbes-1] Forbes, E. 1838. Malacologia Monensis: a catalogue of the Mollusca inhabiting the Isle of Man and the neighbouring sea. Edinburgh: J. Carfrae and son pp. XII + 63 + 3 pl.

[2] Gofas, S. (2015). Doto fragilis (Forbes, 1838). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-01-26.

[SSF-3] Rudman, W.B., 1999 (August 29) Doto fragilis (Forbes, 1838). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.

[4] Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C., 2010. Doto fragilis (Forbes, 1838). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland

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