Atagema kimberlyae Innabi, Stout & Á.Valdés, 2023
- Dataset
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
- Rank
- SPECIES
- Published in
- Innabi, J., Stout, C. C., & Valdés, Á. (2023). Seven new “cryptic” species of Discodorididae (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia) from New Caledonia. ZooKeys, 1152: 45–95. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1152.98258
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Mollusca
- class
- Gastropoda
- order
- Nudibranchia
- family
- Discodorididae
- genus
- Atagema
- species
- Atagema kimberlyae
biology_ecology
Biology. Possibly a New Caledonia endemic, rare, 5 m depth. The single specimen was obtained while SCUBA diving by direct collection on an unidentified sponge on which it was highly cryptic.
description
Description. Body oval, flattened, covered with small, irregular tubercles and short ridges decreasing in size towards the mantle margin (Fig. 2 C, D). A central, longitudinal area devoid of tubercles or ridges runs between the rhinophores and gill. A series of depressions on each side of the central ridge, generally decreasing in size towards the mantle margin. Entire dorsal surface, except for the depressions, covered with caryophyllidia. Branchial sheath composed of three large lobes; gill composed of five tripinnate branchial leaves, arranged horizontally in the living animal. Rhinophoral sheaths elevated; rhinophores long, lamellated, with 20 lamellae. Body color opaque greyish brown, with pale brown pigment mainly on top of the tubercles and ridges and scattered opaque white pigment; depressions dark brown to black (Fig. 2 C). Rhinophores and branchial leaves are the same color as the dorsum. Reproductive system (Fig. 3 B, C) with a short, wide, simple ampulla that connects with the female gland complex and a convoluted prostate. The prostate has several folds and is approximately as wide as the ampulla. The prostate narrows slightly into a curved duct before expanding into the long, ovoid, wide deferent duct. At its widest point, the deferent duct is slightly wider than the prostate. The penis is unarmed. The vagina is long and narrow and connects directly to the spherical bursa copulatrix. The vagina is approximately as wide as the deferent duct. The small elongate seminal receptacle also connects to the bursa copulatrix near the vaginal connection and the short uterine duct that enters the female gland complex. The bursa copulatrix is several times larger than the seminal receptacle (Fig. 3 C). Radular formula 15 x 20.0.20 in a 20 - mm long specimen (MNHN IM- 2013 - 86191). Rachidian teeth absent. Inner and mid-lateral teeth hamate, having a small cusp and lacking denticles (Fig. 4 D-F). Innermost teeth very small in comparison to mid-laterals (Fig. 4 D), elongate, with an inconspicuous secondary cusp mid-length. The teeth increase in size suddenly towards the medial portion of the half-row (Fig. 4 E). Outermost teeth small, decreasing in size gradually, and hamate (Fig. 4 F). No jaw was observed, labial cuticle smooth.
description
Figs 2 C, D, 3 B, C, 4 D-F
etymology
Etymology. This species is named after Kimberly Garcia Mendez, who participated in two of the Koumac expeditions, collecting a number of specimens and helping enormously with the processing and photographing of samples.
Name
Bibliographic References
- Innabi, J., Stout, C. C. & Valdés, Á. (2023). Seven new “cryptic” species of Discodorididae (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia) from New Caledonia. <em>ZooKeys.</em> 1152: 45-95.