Gymnodoris sp.

Gymnodoris sp. M

( Fig. 8H–L View FIGURE 8 )

Material examined. New Caledonia: North Province: Koumac, Pandop Bay ( 20°34.6'S, 164°17'E), 0 m depth [ Koumac 2.1 Expedition, stn. KM102 , sandy-muddy flat with seagrass and mangroves], 6 Sep 2018, 1 specimen 4 mm preserved length (MNHN-IM-2019-26482, isolate JD65) GoogleMaps . New Caledonia: North Province: Poum, Nomoja ( 20°7.49'S, 164°4.42'E), 0 m depth [ABC Poum Expedition, stn. ABC33 ], 15 Jun 2023, 1 specimen 3 mm preserved length (MNHN-IM-2019-26483, isolate JD110) GoogleMaps . New Caledonia: North Province: Poum , Mouac Is. ( 20°12.84'S, 164°0.61'E), 0 m depth [ABC Poum Expedition, stn. ABC46 ], 18 Jun 2023, 1 specimen 3 mm preserved length (MNHN-IM-2019-26485, isolate JD98) GoogleMaps . New Caledonia: Loyalty Is.: Ouvéa , West of Mouly Bridge ( 20°42.56'S, 166°27.76'E), 0 m depth [Quinzaine des Nudibranches Ouvéa Expedition, stn. QUM10 ], 9 Jan 2024, 1 specimen 7 mm preserved length (MNHN-IM-2019-26484, isolate JD161) GoogleMaps . New Caledonia: Loyalty Is.: Ouvéa , West of Mouly Bridge ( 20°42.56'S, 166°27.76'E), 0 m depth [Quinzaine des Nudibranches Ouvéa Expedition, stn. QUM10 ], 9 Jan 2024, 1 specimen 3 mm preserved length (MNHN-IM-2019-26523, isolate JD185) GoogleMaps .

Description. Body narrow, elongate, smooth, lacking tubercles ( Figs. 8H–L View FIGURE 8 ).Velum, notal rim not differentiated. Posterior end of foot narrow, tapering gradually into pointy “tail.” Color translucent, with digestive gland visible through body wall as brown or green mass with irregular white patches, also visible the reproductive and anterior digestive systems as white masses, glandular network visible at translucent posterior end of body. Body covered with numerous oval yellow spots. Rhinophores globular with narrow tips, 7 transverse lamellae, translucent white stalk, opaque white club with orange tips. Gill with 11 small, simple, white leaves with yellow tips, arranged in a circle around anus. Foot narrower than notum, opaque white; oral tentacles small, blunt.

Phylogenetic position. Gymnodoris sp. M is sister to Gymnodoris sp. N (PP: 1, MLB: 96) and nested within a larger well-supported clade (PP: 1, MLB: 99) also including Gymnodoris suggens and Gymnodoris sp. L ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ).

Remarks. This undescribed species is widespread in the Indo-Pacific region. Knutson & Gosliner (2022) examined specimens from the Hawaiian and Marshall Islands, and from Papua New Guinea. Here we extend the known range to New Caledonia. Specimens reported as Gymnodoris sp. 20 in Gosliner et al. (2018) are probably the same species.