Dondice occidentalis

Taxonomy

According to Gonzalez et al. (2013), Dondice occidentalis and Dondice parguerensis probably represent an example of incipient sympatric speciation. Molecular analyses support partially the differentiation of these species, but are inconclusive. Further research is needed in order to resolve this species complex.

Distribution

Distribution of Dondice occidentalis includes Florida, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Curaçao, Bonaire, Venezuela, Bermudas, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Grenada, Sint Maarten, Martinique, Trinidad, Brazil and Panama.

Description

The body is elongate, tapering toward the posterior end. Rhinophores are annulate and long. Oral tentacles are longer than the rhinophores. Cerata are arranged in clusters along two rows on the dorsum. Background color is translucent gray with a yellow or orange median line of variable width, running from the head to the anterior end, between the rhinophores. There is sometimes present a white or blue broken line down the dorsal mid-line from behind the rhinophores to the posterior end of the body. Opaque white spots are sometimes present on the dorsum. Oral tentacles are translucent or light blue at the base, becoming white towards the tips. Cerata are translucent gray, often with large blue or white bands covering the upper two-thirds of each ceras. The maximum recorded body length is 50 mm.

Habitat

The minimum recorded depth is 0 metres. The maximum recorded depth is 26 metres.

It was found on hydroids in Panama. This species feeds on hydroids of the genus Eudendrium and Amathia.

It easily sheds the cerata when it is disturbed.