Platydoris formosa

Gary Cobb Here is another elusive species found under rocks and old coral heads Platydoris formosa (Alder & Hancock, 1864) and at about 70 mm it is quite a find!

Gary Cobb In identifying some species of Nudibranch we need to see the ventral side of the animal. From under another rock I present Platydoris formosa (Alder & Hancock, 1864) 70mm.

Lenny Kim ID Please, I thought that they were a pattern of coral when I found them at night diving in Anlilao. 8~9m, 50~60mm.

Lenny Kim There is a little confusion but they must be Platydoris Cinerobranchiata, I think.

Vie Panyarachun Very nice find.

Franca Wermuth-Vezzoli I found a similar one in Romblon - Platydoris Formosa. See https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151614257554669&set=gm.546061612111779&type=1&theater

Blogie Robillo Nie find!

Franca Wermuth-Vezzoli it looks as if a painter has tried his yellow and red paint. wonderful creature!

Lenny Kim Thanks all! I'll try to find it in my next visiting to Romblon.

Arne Kuilman Hmm, I remember Platydoris formosa usually having red rhinophores (from my internet research). I ID'ed this one as Platydoris formosa as well from Bali. Did I get it wrong? http://www.flickr.com/photos/99799929@N00/5107295102/in/photolist-8MjdU7-4RjH6K-8MwWBe

Vie Panyarachun From Gosliner, Behrens & Valdes: Platydoris cinerobranchiata "is covered by numerous red blotches and has uniformly dark bluish-gray gill branches." Platydoris formosa "is similar in color to P. cinerobranchiata, but has distinct black lines outlining the gill. Yellow and black pigment are present around gill pocket and rhinophoral sheaths."

Arne Kuilman If I read this correctly my photo is P. formosa and these photos are P. cinerobranchiata? (mine has the yellow and black pigments around gill pocket)

Vie Panyarachun Yes, I think Kim Lenny's photos are P. cinerobranchiata and Arne's is P. formosa. Not sure about Franca's though...

Erwin Koehler This one had been given a headache to me for some weeks: Gordon sent it to me as flatworm and I stared at it again and again and could not say what it is or even might be...Today I discovered at the bottom of the picture something what looks like feet, if true I can say for sure it is NO flatworm, has anybody an idea what it might be?

Erwin Koehler I forgot to mention: Gordon Tillen took this picture at Dauin, Negros Oriental, Philippines, no size nor depth recorded.

Erwin Koehler My first idea was "some kind of anemone with retracted tentacles"

David Kipling Is that a nudibranch in the top left Erwin? Orange spots and a gill plume?

Erwin Koehler Yes, I think it is Platydoris cinerobranchiata or Platydoris formosa, difficult to tell without seeing the rhinophores: the first has brownish-green rhinophores, the latter has bright red rhinophores. I guess it is Platydoris cinerobranchiata.

David Kipling But back to the question of the ID of this 'blob' ... could you post a cropped image of the 'feet'? They're hard to make out on the full-sized image.

David Burdick This is most likely a species of fissurelid, likely a Scutus sp

Vishal Bhave is it something simillar to Scutus ??

Erwin Koehler Thanks to all of you who shared my headache... I will go with Scutus.

Gary Cobb 26 species found at Northwest Reef OWI, 08-04-2013, rainy overcast some sun day, surge, 4m vis, 24C water temp. 1st dive/2nd dive. *most species found this outing Aeolidiella alba /2 Ardeadoris aff. averni /1 Bornella anguilla /1 Chromodoris splendida (AU) 1/4 Dermatobranchus cf. primus 1 Dermatobranchus rodmani /1 *Doriprismatica atromarginata 5/5 Flabellina bicolor 1 Glossodoris vespa (AU) 2 Goniobranchus albonares /1 Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus /1 Halgerda albocristata 1 Halgerda aurantiomaculata /1 Halgerda cf. willeyi 1 Hypselodoris jacksoni /3 Hypselodoris obscura (AU) 2/1 Hypselodoris tryoni Phestilla sp. 1 Phyllidia elegans /2 Phyllidiella lizae 1/4 Phyllidiella pustulosa 1/1 Platydoris formosa 1 Protaeolidiella juliae /3 Thuridilla splendens 1 Trinchesia ornata 1 Tritoniopsis alba 1/2

Orietta Rivolta Platydoris formosa (Alder & Hancock,1874) Watamu,Kenya

Sven Kahlbrock very nice ione

Franca Wermuth-Vezzoli Romblon, Philippines, 10 m, night dive. Is it a Platydoris?

Ruby Ann Balio not sure, but it kinda looks like a Platydoris cinerobranchiata

Jeff Rosenfeld I agree with Platydoris cinerobranchiata.

Gary Cobb I think this is Platydoris formosa. The ventral view will tell for sure! Bright red around the foot extending outward halfway to the margin.

Jeff Rosenfeld Gary, Gosliner, et al characterize P. formosa as having yellow and black pigment around the base of the gills and rhinophores, which seem to be absent here. Thoughts?

Franca Wermuth-Vezzoli tthanks a lot!

Gary Cobb From Richard: I have to say the distinction between Platydoris formosa and P. cinerobranchiata is very confused at the moment. These differences are far more complicated than one species having red rhinophores, and this year I have seen a manuscript considering the differences. This paper is not published yet. It is best to leave this species as Platydoris formosa for now. Some species of Platydoris are quite difficult to separate just from above (Platydoris formosa, Platydoris ellioti, Platydoris cinerobranchiata). They really need a photo showing the pigmentation pattern on the underside as well for certain identification.