Platydoris formosa (Alder & Hancock, 1864)

Platydoris formosa is relatively rare in the Marshalls, known from about a dozen specimens from Kwajalein and Enewetak Atolls. The species seem to be most common in shallow water, with three of the recorded specimens coming from the intertidal to a depth of 2.5 meters. One was found at a depth of 16 meters. Several have been found in lagoon patches of Halimeda algae. Sizes of four specimens ranged from 45 to 95mm. As noted under P. cruenta, we are not yet fully convinced that P. formosa and P. cruenta are indeed different species. One specimen (not figured) found by Lori Bell on the Kwajalein interisland intertidal reef appeared to have characteristics of both species in that the brown sieve-like network of P. formosa was overlaying a fainter pattern of brown lines like those in P. cruenta.

The two specimens below were both small for the species.

The two shots below are of a 70mm specimen from Enewetak that had autotomized the front portion of its mantle.

Created 15 December 2006
Updated 28 November 2008