Murphydoris

Murphydoris is a monotypic genus of sea slugs, specifically dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Goniodorididae.

Murphydoris
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Onchidoridoidea
Family: Goniodorididae
Genus: Murphydoris
Sigurdsson, 1991[1]

Genus description

Murphydoris singaporensis Sigurdsson, 1991 is the type species of the monotypic genus Murphydoris.[1] The generic name Murphydoris was created to honor the zoologist and ecologist D. H. Murphy, who is on the staff at the National University of Singapore.[1]

The characteristics of the genus Murphydoris is, that it lacks peri-anal ctenidia (comb-like respiratory gills); its rhinophores are non-lamellate and its radula formula is n x 1.1.0.1.1. The lateral teeth are unicuspid (= with a single tapering point) with 12 denticles and the marginal teeth are bicuspid.[1]

Distribution

The type locality for Murphydoris singaporensis is mangroves between Kranji and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Singapore.[1]

Species description

Murphydoris singaporensis was firstly collected by Jon B. Sigurdsson, and was described as a new species in 1991.[1]

This is a small nudibranch with a body length of 5 mm and a body width of 2 mm. It was found along the coast of Singapore, between colonies of the bryozoan Sundanella sibogae (order Ctenostomata).

In this animal, the mantle is colorless and translucent, showing the colors of the internal organs. The surface of the mantle shows irregular dark reddish-brown blotches. Behind the rhinophores there is a large horse shoe shaped spot. There are no mantle papillae in front of the non-lamellate, non-retractile rhinophores. The mantle ridge is situated at either side of the anus and is reduced to three pairs of bifid tentacles. Its penis is armed with many spines. It lays its spawn in loose white coils.[1]

When these nudibranchs respond to a threat, they adopt a defensive posture: they flatten their body allowing numerous spicules to penetrate through the body wall, so that the nudibranch assumes the aspect of a hedgehog, covered in spines. The numerous glands on the body wall also probably contribute to the effectiveness of this defensive posture.[1]

Species

Besides Murphydoris singaporensis Sigurdsson, 1991, other species have been tentatively placed in Murphydoris, but have not yet been named and are undescribed species:[2]

  • Murphydoris sp. 1 Marshall & Willan, 1999 - this is a small species (about 0.5 cm long) living amongst algae along the coast of New South Wales, Australia. Its color is yellow-white with black spots and orange ridges. The rhinophores and gills have the same color but have white tips.[3]
  • Murphydoris sp. “GBR Murphydoris” Coleman, 2001
  • Murphydoris sp. 1 Cobb & Willan, 2006
  • Murphydoris sp. “Black’s Murphydoris” Coleman, 2008
  • Murphydoris sp. 1 Debelius & Kuiter, 2007

References
  1. Sigurdsson, J.B. (1991). PDF "A nudibranch: Murphydoris singaporensis a new genus and species from Singapore mangroves (Gastropoda: Opistobranchia: Goniodoriidae)" Check |url= value (help). The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 39 (1): 259–263..
  2. McDonald, Gary R. (2009). Nudibranch Systematic Index, second edition. UC Santa Cruz: Institute of Marine Sciences. Accessed 19 December 2009.
  3. "family GONIODORIDIDAE" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 2009.

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