Carminodoris flammea

Images taken at Chowder Bay and Bare Island, Sydney, Australia

https://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/scipubs/pdfs/v54/proccas_v54_n10.pdf

Carminodoris flammea is superficially similar to C. bifurcata. Both species have a central dorsum color that is distinct from the surrounding mantle coloration. Carminodoris flammea has a bright red color, while the central color of C. bifurcata is more reddish-brown. Both species have complex, variegated coloration with mottled shades of grays and browns. Both have elongate rhinophores with deep tan lamellar regions and white tips. The gill leaves of both species are feathery and tan in color. But, Carminodoris flammea lacks the small black spots on the notum that are present in [C. bifurcata. Further, the interior anatomy, particularly the radular morphology, differs between these species. The inner lateral teeth of Carminodoris flammea have a blunt cusp on the inner edge, while the inner lateral teeth of C. bifurcata have denticles on both the inner and outer edges of the innermost lateral tooth. The middle and outer lateral teeth of both species are denticulate, but the denticles of the middle lateral teeth of C. bifurcata are more pronounced. Carminodoris bifurcata has three denticulate outer lateral teeth while C. flammea has four denticulate outer later teeth that are more brush-like. The jaw rodlets of C. flammea also differ in that they have distinct knobs along the length. The jaw rodlets of C. bifurcata are flattened plates with blunt ends.

The differences in the reproductive anatomy between the two species are as follows: the prostate of Carminodoris flammea is a thick coil that does not cover the bursa copulatrix. The prostate of C. bifurcata covers the bursa and is a large mass rather than a coiled tube. The vagina of C. flammea is shorter than the deferent duct, but in C. bifurcata the vagina is longer than the deferent duct.

Thus, a combination of morphological characters distinguishes C. flammea as a separate Carminodoris species.

Fahey, S.J. & Gosliner, T.M. (2003) Mistaken Identities: On the Discodorididae Genera Hoplodoris Bergh, 1880 and Carminodoris Bergh, 1889 (Opisthobranchia, Nudibranchia). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Volume 54, No. 10, pp. 195–198.