Rudmania purpurea

Rudmania purpurea (Risso, 1831)

Rudmania purpurea @ Cala Montgó, L'Escala, Spain 5-03-2016 by Pontes, Miquel

Taxonomic note: The European Atlantic and Mediterranean species of the genus Chromodoris and Hypselodoris have been reconsidered. After molecular analysis of the Chromodorididae performed by Johnson & Gosliner (2012, Traditional taxonomic groupings mask evolutionary history: A molecular phylogeny and new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs. PLoS ONE 7(4): 33479) the Hypselodoris species have been included in the genus Felimare Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1967 and the Chromodoris species have been included in the genus Felimida Ev. Marcus, 1971.

A recently published study (de Oliveira et al., 2025) assigns this species to a new genus based on morphological characters (absence of a rachidian tooth and the presence of a long, thin vagina) and molecular evidence, which separate the members of the newly erected genus Rudmania from other species of Felimida.

Synonyms

• Chromodoris purpurea (Risso, 1831)
• Doris albescens Schultz in Philippi, 1836
• Doris piraini Vérany, 1846
• Doris purpurea Risso, 1831 (original)
• Felimida purpurea (Risso, 1831)

Description
The specimens of this species can grow up to 30-40 mm in length. This is one of the least pigmented species chromodorids since the body is white with a gold-yellow margin. Around the edge of the mantle, and inside the yellow margin, there are numerous irregularly shaped whitish glands, that can be appreciated by transparency, corresponding to the defensive MDFs. On the back there could also be a series of light pink blotches. The rhinophores are crimson or purple and have about 20 tightly set lamellae, the apex of the rhinophores is white, the sheath is relatively low, flat on its upper edge and colored white. The largest specimens can have up to 17 branchial leaves tightly set around the anal papilla. The branchial leaves are purple and consist of an axis or rachis with lamellae at both sides, alternatively large and small. The apex of the branchial leaves is white. The anal papilla is white or slightly pink. The foot stands far behind the mantle border and it has a yellow line along the border, from the central area to the tail.

Biology
This species lives on rocky infralittoral, under stones, or on coralline sponges. It feeds on several species of sponges, such as Phorbas tenacior or Spongionella pulchella. It is a common species.

Etymology

• Rudmania. In honor of William (Bill) Rudman for his extensive contribution on the systematics, taxonomy, and ecology of nudibranchs. Rudman provided large reviews on the Chromodorididae species groups and their color patterns.
• Purpurea. From Greek “porphýra” derived into Latín “purpura”, coloured purple, violet, lilac.

Distribution
This is an European distribution species that inhabits the whole Mediterranean Sea and close eastern Atlantic, from northern Europe to Cape Verde, having been cited also in Açores and Madeira. In the Iberian Coast it has been cited all along the coast, also in the Canaries and the Balearic islands. In the Catalan coast it has been located in different localities of the Costa Brava, Illes Formigues (Calella), Cala Sant Francesc and Blanes, among others.

Videos

 

More pictures

Bibliography

1246567 Rudmania purpurea 1 eunomia-revista-en-cultura-de-la-legalidad 50 creator asc 1 430 https://opistobranquis.info/wp-content/plugins/zotpress/
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

• AsturNatura
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BiologiaMarina.org
• CIB - Club Immersio Biologia
• DORIS
• El Litoral de Granada
• Flickr pictures
• GROC
• Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera
• M@re Nostrum
• MedSlugs (Med)
• NCBI GenBank
• OBIS - Search by Taxon
• Sea Slug Forum
• The SlugSite
• World Register of Marine Species

Cite this article as: