Figs 2–3, 8
Doris marmorata Risso, 1818: 369.
Doris marmorata – Schmekel 1968b: 177, figs 5–8. — Schmekel & Portmann 1982: 72–75, pls 20.3, 30.10 figs 7–11.
Nice, France, Mediterranean Sea.
Body rounded, flat, light white. Mantle tubercles numerous, light orange in color. Rhinophores lamellar, orange distally. Gills white.
SPAIN – Catalonia • 1 spec. (sequenced: L = 0.4 cm); Girona, Blanes, Punta Santa Anna; 41.67° N, 2.80° E; 7 m depth; 5 Feb. 2016; Xavier Salvador leg.; GenBank: OR286430; ZSM20240263 • 1 spec. (sequenced: L = 1.5 cm); Girona, Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Coves Cala Maset; 41.7865° N, 3.0447° E; 2 m depth; 7 Feb. 2019; Xavier Salvador leg.; GenBank: OR286431; ZSMMol20210023.
EXTERNAL MORPHOLOGY. Body rounded, flat, light white. Tubercles numerous, the larger specimen with top dark yellow to orange. Rhinophores lamellar, with middle until top part orange. Gills white, with little orange points in external part of branchial leaves.
The specimen ZSM20240263 was observed during the day crawling over undetermined algae in a rocky wall. Specimen ZSMMol20210023 was recorded during a night dive actively moving over the algae.
France (Mediterranean coast; Risso 1818), Italy (Between Capo Posillipo and Nisida; Schmekel & Portmann 1982), Northern Aegean Sea (Koutsoubas et al. 1993), and Catalonia (this study).
In the description of Schmekel & Portmann (1982), the central notal region is surrounded by dark spots, but in our specimens, the central region is whiter than the rest of the notum and the dark spots are not visible. The orange tubercles and rhinophores are exactly alike. The maximum length of the specimens described is 12 mm and the maximum length of our specimens while alive was 15 mm. There, they describe that the rhinophore leaned forward when moving, a behaviour that was observed in specimen ZSMMol20210023. Overall, the morphological description of our specimens matches the description of the species.