Chromodoris aureopurpurea Collingwood, 1881

Chromodoris aureopurpurea is known from the Marshalls from five specimens. The first one was found crawling along a sandy lagoon slope at a depth of 28m. This animal measured 21mm in length and is pictured in the first three photos below. This species is similar in appearance to Chromodoris albopustulosa, a species that probably also includes C. rufomaculata and C. alius. However, we believe C. aureopurpurea is distinct. At least in our specimen, the gills, although somewhat goblet shaped, are not quite as distinctly round, shaped almost like a ball, as those found in C. albopustulosa.

Below is the second animal, which was found on 5 July 2008 on Halimeda on a sand spit on Kwajalein Atoll's east reef at a depth of about 6m. Three others have been found in this same area.

This species waves it anterior margin up and down when crawling, much like Chromodoris geometrica.

A specimen found 28 September 2008 is below.

Created 3 December 2007
Updated 3 October 2008