First record of the genus Carminodoris Bergh, 1889 (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia: Nudibranchia: Doridoidea: Discodorididae) in the Colombian Caribbean

Abstract

In the Atlantic Ocean, there are only two records of nudibranchs belonging to the genus Carminodoris Bergh, 1889 (Discodorididae). This work describes and illustrates the first record of a nudibranch belonging to this genus in the Colombian Caribbean, upon a sample collected in San Martin de Pajarales Island, Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia. Morphological and anatomical attributes of the studied specimen were compared with those of Atlantic (Carminodoris hansrosaorum and C. madibenthos), also with those reported for the Pacific (C. nodulosa, C. grandiflora, C. bramale, C. flammea, C. bifurcata, C. armata and C. estrelyado). The studied sample differs from the other species by its size (74 mm), distinctive morphological patterns (foot, tubercles, branchial plume, mantle, jaw and radular formula). This is the first report of this genus in the Western Caribbean and it might be a new species, yet to be confirmed, with additional anatomical and molecular studies.