Home Guide to Opisthobranchs Nudibranchia Doridina Doridoidei Doridoidea Aldisa smaragdina

Aldisa smaragdina

Aldisa smaragdina (Ortea, Perez & Llera, 1982)

Aldisa smaragdina by Enric Madrenas

Taxonomy
 

Superdomain

Biota  

 

Kingdom

Animalia  

 

Phylum

Mollusca  

 

Class

Gastropoda  

 

Subclass

Heterobranchia  

 

Infraclass

Euthyneura  

 

Subterclass

Ringipleura  

 

Superorder

Nudipleura  

 

Order

Nudibranchia  

 

Suborder

Doridina  

 

Infraorder

Doridoidei  

 

Superfamily

Chromodoridoidea  

 

Family

Cadlinidae  

 

Genus

Aldisa  

 

Species

Aldisa smaragdina  Ortea, J. M. Pérez & Llera, 1982

 
 Classification according to Bouchet et al. (2017)
Taxonomic source: World Register of Marine Species (AphiaID: 585313).
Taxonomic note: In the last revision of the genus (Millen & Gosliner, 1985) the authors indicate that the situation is unclear. Aldisa smaragdina is believed to be a synonymous with the former Aldisa binotata Pruvot-Fol, 1953. The problem is that the original description of A. binotata is poor, with no information of its anatomy. The unique specimen on which the description was based is lost, so it can not be studied. So European researchers use the name Aldisa smaragdina, as there is no consensus on whether Aldisa binotata can be recognized.

Description
The body is dorso-ventrally flattened, up to 30 mm of length and deep red colored. The mantle is covered with small tubercles. There are two large dark oval spots located between the rhinophores and the gill. There is also a quite faded whitish band on each side, located right behind the first dorsal spot. It has two lamellated rhinophores, with few lamellae arranged almost vertically, protected by tuberculated rhinophoral sheaths. The gill consists of 5 reddish, white tipped gill leaves, protected by a crenulated sheath (with a series of crested mantle projections). The oral tentacles are short and blunt, slightly rolled.

It can be confused with Aldisa banyulensis Pruvot-Fol, 1951, that despite it is also red with two dark spots on the back, it is smaller (with a maximum of 15 mm), has the white dorsal band located right before the second dorsal spot, it has 8 completely translucent red (without white tips) gill leaves, rhinophores with more numerous lamellae that are horizontally arranged, the rhinophoric sheaths and gill sheath with smooth edges, with flattened and triangular, pointy, oral tentacles, it feeds on another sponge: Hemymicale columella, and put less eggs that are larger (200μm in diameter). There is another species with which could be confused, Aldisa expleta Ortea, Perez & Llera, 1982, but it lacks the dark dorsal spots.

Biology
Lives on rocky bottoms, from 3 m depth, where it feeds sponge Phorbas fictitius (Bowerbank, 1866) and is usually found on it, as it has the same coloration as the sponge and the dark spots on the dorsum mimic the inhalent openings, called pore-sieves (cribri), of the sponge, in what is known as crypsis by homocromy. For this reason it is a difficult to see species, and is considered rare. The spawn is a single turn of 1 cm diameter with capsules containing relatively small red eggs (130μm in diameter) each. Skin produces certain substances similar to progesterone.

Etymology

  • Aldisa. Probably referred to an Iceland viking saga of the same name.
  • Smaragdina. From Greek “smaragdos”, meaning “emerald”, because of the colour of the gills, often greenish white.

Distribution
This species was described in 1982 with specimens collected in the Canary Islands and Asturias (Spain). It has subsequently been cited in the waters of Galicia (Spain), Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira, in Morocco and Cape Verde, as well as in the Mediterranean, in Gibraltar and Granada on the Andalusian coast, also in the Levant and the Balearic Islands. There are recent reports in Catalonia, at Golf de Sant Jordi (Roig, 2019 [in] GROC) and L’Escala (Madrenas, 2022 [in] OPK).

Known georeferenced records of the species: Aldisa smaragdina
Sources:
: OBIS
: GROC 2010-2011
: Enric Madrenas
: João Pedro Silva
: Bernard Picton
: GBIF.ORG		 : OPK
: VIMAR
: Manuel Ballesteros.
: M@re Nostrum
: Altres fonts
: Marine Regions

Abundance

    Western Mediterranean: ★☆☆☆☆
    Eastern Mediterranean: ☆☆☆☆☆
    Atlantic Ocean: ★☆☆☆☆
Month

This chart displays the monthly observation probability for Aldisa smaragdina based on our own records.

Videos

 

More pictures

Aldisa smaragdina
Aldisa smaragdina (Portugal) by Joao Pedro Silva
Aldisa smaragdina gill detail by Luis Sánchez Tocino
Aldisa smaragdina by Enric Madrenas
Aldisa smaragdina by Enric Madrenas
Aldisa smaragdina by Enric Madrenas

Bibliography

    Bacallado JJ, Ortea J, Moro L, et al. 2008. Inventario de los moluscos de la marina de Arrecife, Lanzarote. Canarias Conservación.:1–32. Available from https://www.canariasconservacion.org/LA%20MARINA/DOC-16-Inventario%20de%20los%20moluscos%20de%20la%20marina%20de%20arrecife%202008.pdf.
    Ballesteros M, Templado J. 1996. Opistobranquios de las islas Baleares y de las Columbretes In: Libro de Résumenes XI Congresso Nacional de Malacología. D. Moreno (ed.): 40-41. Sociedad Española de Malacología. Almería, Spain.
    Ballesteros M, Barrajón A, Luque A, et al. 1986. Contribución al conocimiento de los Moluscos Gasterópodos marinos de Almería. Iberus, 6: 39-57.
    Ballesteros M, Pontes M, Madrenas E. 2019. Els nudibranquis del mar català. Figueres: Brau Edicions. 192 p.
    Ballesteros M, Madrenas E, Pontes M. 2025. OPK - Opistobranquis. Available from https://opistobranquis.info/.
    Bielecki S, Cavignaux G, Crouzet JM, et al. 2011. Des limaces de rêve.
    Calado G, Malaquias M, Gavaia C, et al. 2003. New data on opisthobranchs (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from the southwestern coast of Portugal. Boletín Instituto Español de Oceanografía 19 (1-4): 199-204.
    Cattaneo-Vietti R, Barletta G. 1984. Elenco preliminare dei molluschi opistobranchi viventi nel Mediterraneo (Sacoglossa, Pleurobranchomorpha, Acochlidiacea, Aplysiomorpha, Nudibranchia). Bollettino Malacologico (Pubblicazione Mensile Edita dalla Societa Italiana di Malacologia) 20(9-12):195-218.
    Cattaneo-Vietti R, Chemello R, Giannuzzi-Savelli R. 1990. Atlas of Mediterranean Nudibranchs. Rome, Italy: La Conchiglia. 264 p.
    Cervera JL, Templado J, García-Gómez JC, et al. 1988. Catálogo actualizado y comentado de los Opistobranquios (Mollusca, Gastropoda) de la Península Ibérica, Baleares y Canarias, con algunas referencias a Ceuta y la isla de Alborán. Iberus, supl. 1: 1-84.
    Cervera JL, Calado G, Gavaia C, et al. 2004. An annotated and updated checklist of the opisthobranchs (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from Spain and Portugal (including islands and archipelagos). Boletín Instituto Español de Oceanografía, 20 (1-4): 1-111. L.
    Debelius H, Kuiter RH. 2007. Nudibranchs of the world. Frankfurt: IKAN- Unterwasserarchiv. 360 pp. p.
    Fernández-Gil C, Boyra A, González JA, et al. 2013. Espécies marinhas de Cabo Verde. BIOTECMAR. 134 p.
    Garcia FJ, Bertsch H. 2009. Diversity and distribution of the Gastropoda Opisthobranchia from the Atlantic Ocean: A global biogeographic approach. Scientia Marina. 73(1):153–160. https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2009.73n1153.
    García Gómez JC. 1983. Moluscos opistobranquios del Estrecho de Gibraltar y Bahía de Algeciras. Iberus.(3):41–46.
    García-Gómez JC. 2002. Paradigmas de una fauna insólita; Los moluscos opistobranquios del estrecho de Gibraltar (Serie Ciencias) 20: 397 pp. Instituto de Estudios Gibraltareños. Algeciras, Cádiz, Spain.
    García-Gómez JC. 1983. Moluscos Opistobranquios del Estrecho de Gibraltar y Bahía de Algeciras. Iberus 3: 41-46.
    García-Gómez JC, Cervera JL, García FJ, et al. 1989. Resultados de la Campaña Internacional de Biología Marina “Ceuta-86”: Moluscos Opistobranquios. Bollettino Malacologico. 25:223–232.
    García-Gómez JC, Cervera JL, García FJ, et al. 1991. Resultados de la campaña internacional de biología marina “Algarve 88”: moluscos opistobranquios. Bollettino Malacologico 27 (5-9): 125-138.
    Gavagnin M, Ungur N, Mollo E, et al. 2002. Structure and Synthesis of a progesterone homologue from the skin of the dorid nudibranch Aldisa smaragdina. European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2002: 1500-1504.
    Long SJ. 2006. Bibliography of Opisthobranchia 1554-2000. Bayside Books & Press, Tustin, CA, U.S.A. 672p.
    Luque AA. 1983. Contribución al conocimiento de los gasterópodos marinos de las costas de Málaga y Granada. Iberus 3: 51-74.
    Malaquias MA, Calado GJP. 1997. The malacological fauna of Salvage Islands - 1. Opisthobranch Molluscs. Bol. Mus. Mun. Funchal, 49(281): 149-170.
    Malaquias MAE, Calado G, Da Cruz JF, et al. 2014. Opisthobranch molluscs of the Azores, results of the IV Internationa Workshop of Malacology and Marine Biology (4-13 July 2011) (Mosteiros, São Miguel, Azores). Açoreana, 2014, Supplement 10: 139-147.
    McDonald G. 2009. Bibliographia Nudibranchia. 2nd Online Edition, Annotated. 1072 pp  Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz. Available from http://escholarship.org/uc/item/8115h0wz.
    Menéndez JL, Oliveros J. 2004 2015. Aldisa smaragdina accessed through: AsturNatura on 2015-02-05. Available from http://www.asturnatura.com/especie/aldisa-smaragdina.html.
    Millen SV, Gosliner TM. 1985. Four new species of dorid nudibranchs belonging to the genus Aldisa (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia), with a revision of the genus. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 84(3):195–233. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1985.tb01799.x.
    Moro L, Bacallado JJ, Ortea JA. 2010. Babosas marinas de las islas Canarias. Actas VI Semana Científica Telesforo Bravo, Instituto de Estudios Hispánicos de Canarias. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.1168.2009.
    Moro L, Martín Esquivel JL, Garrido Sanahuja MJ, et al. 2003. Lista de especies marinas de Canarias (algas, hongos, plantas y animales). Consejería de Política Territorial y Medio Ambiente del Gobierno de Canarias. 248 p.
    Ocaña Martín A, Sánchez Tocino L, López González S, et al. 2000. Guía submarina de invertebrados no artrópodos. Granada: Comares.
    Ortea J, Ballesteros M. 1989. Descripción de una espectacular especie del género “Aldisa” Berg, 1978 (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia) dedicada a la memoria del Dr. Giorgio Barletta. Boll. Malacologico, 24 (9-12): 155-160.
    Ortea J, Espinosa J. 2006. Nueva familia y nuevo género de Dóridos Porostomados,  pp. 64-66. In: J. Espinosa, J. Ortea, Manuel Caballer, & Leopoldo Moro. Moluscos marinos de la  península de Guanahacabibes, Pinar del Rio, Cuba, con la descripción de nuevos taxones. Avicennia,  Revista de Oceanología, Ecología y Biodiversidad Tropical 18:1-83.
    Ortea J, Moro L. 2019. Las babosas marinas de las islas de Cabo Verde en el tiempo: Cronología de su descubrimiento. Avicennia. 25:1–36.
    Ortea JA, Pérez-Sánchez JM, Llera González EM. 1982. Moluscos Opistobranquios recolectados durante el Plan de Bentos Circuncanario. Doridacea: primera parte (1). Cuadernos del CRINAS. 3:1–48.
    Ortea J, Moro L, Bacallado JJ. 2015. Babosas Marinas Canarias. Turquesa Ediciones.
    Ortea J, L. Moro MC, Bacallado JJ. 2003. Resultados Científicos del proyecto “Macaronesia 2000” Chinijo-2002: Moluscos Opistobranquios. Revista de la Academia Canaria de Ciencias 14 (3-4): 165-180.
    Ortea JA, Moro L, Bacallado JJ, et al. 2001. Catálogo actualizado de los Moluscos Opistobranquios de las Islas Canarias. Revista de la Academia Canaria de Ciencias. 12(3–4):105–136.
    Ortea J, Moro L, Espinosa J. 2019. Babosas Marinas de Cabo Verde. Esencia de su Biodiversidad. Avicennia. 25:1–36. Available from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383915322_Babosas_Marinas_de_Cabo_Verde_Esencia_de_su_Biodiversidad.
    Oskars TR, Bouchet P, Malaquias MAE. 2015. A new phylogeny of the Cephalaspidea (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia)based on expanded taxon sampling and gene markers. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 89 (2015) 130–150. Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2015.04.011.
    Peñas A, Rolán E, Luque A, et al. 2006. Moluscos marinos de la zona de la isla de Alborán. Iberus, supplement 6.
    Rudman W.B. et al. 1998 2010. Aldisa smaragdina accessed through: Sea Slug Forum on 2014-12-14. Available from http://seaslugforum.net/showall/aldismar.
    Sabelli B, Gianuzzi-Savelli R, Bedulli D. 1990. Catalogo annotato dei Molluschi marini del Mediterraneo. Libreria Naturalistica Bolognese. Bologna, Italy: 348 pp.
    Salvador X, Fernández-Vilert R, Moles J. 2022. Sea slug night fever: 39 new records of elusive heterobranchs in the western Mediterranean (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Journal of Natural History. 56(5–8):265–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2022.2040630.
    Sánchez Tocino L. 2001. Aldisa smaragdina accessed through: Opistobranquios de la Costa de Granada on 2014-12-14. Available from http://www.ugr.es/~lstocino/aldisa_smaragdina.htm.
    Sánchez-Tocino L. 2018. El Litoral de Granada - Opistobranquios. El Litoral de Granada. Available from https://litoraldegranada.ugr.es/el-litoral/el-litoral-sumergido/fauna/moluscos/gasteropodos/opistobranquios/.
    Silva JP. 2008 2014. Aldisa smaragdina accessed through: Hypselodoris, Lesmas do Mar on 2014-12-21. Available from http://hypselodoris.blogspot.pt/2012/07/aldisa-smaragdina-ortea-perez-llera-1982.html.
    Templado J, Guerra A, Bedoya J, et al. 1993. Fauna marina circalitoral del sur de la Península Ibérica; Resultados de la campaña oceanográfica “Fauna I”. Madrid, Spain: Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC). 166 p.
    Templado J, Talavera P, Murillo L. 1983. Adiciones a la fauna de opistobranquios del Cabo de Palos (Murcia) I. Iberus 3: 47-50.
    Trainito E. 2005. Nudibranchi del Mediterraneo : guida al riconoscimento dei molluschi opistobranchi. Trezzano sul Naviglio (Milano): Il Castello.
    Valdés A, Heros V. 1998. The types of Recent and certain fossil opisthobranch molluscs in the Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris. Zoosystema 20(4):695-742.

    Bibliography based on the works by Steve Long, 2006. Bibliography of Opisthobranchia 1554-2000 and Gary McDonald, 2009. Bibliographia Nudibranchia, with later updates from other resources.

Further reading

Cite this article as:

Pontes, Miquel, Manuel Ballesteros, Enric Madrenas (2012-2025) "Aldisa smaragdina" in OPK-Opistobranquis. Published: 16/05/2012. Accessed: 03/02/2025. Available at (https://opistobranquis.info/en/?p=480)