{"id":7700,"date":"2013-08-29T11:28:14","date_gmt":"2013-08-29T09:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/euctenidiacea"},"modified":"2026-09-04T00:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T22:03:09","slug":"doridina","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/guia\/nudibranchia\/doridina\/","title":{"rendered":"Doridina"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Doridina is one of the two major evolutionary lineages of Nudibranchia, together with Cladobranchia. It comprises the doridacean nudibranchs, a highly diverse group of sea slugs characterized by a compact body plan and a secondary gill plume arranged around the anus. Members of the group are commonly known as dorids or doridaceans.<\/p>\n

\"Peltodoris<\/div>
Peltodoris atromaculata @ Costa Brava, Spain by Enric Madrenas<\/em> by Enric Madrenas<\/center><\/span>

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Dorids generally have an oval, elongated, or dorsoventrally flattened body, with the dorsal notum clearly differentiated from the sides of the body. The rhinophores may be contractile and, in many species, can retract completely into specialized rhinophoral cavities. The dorsal surface may be smooth or bear tubercles of various shapes, including rounded, conical, or digitiform structures. In some genera, such as Jorunna<\/em>, Taringa<\/em>, and Rostanga<\/em>, the tubercles contain conspicuous spicules that project from their margins and form the structures known as caryophyllidia.<\/p>\n

The gill plume is located in the posterior region of the dorsal surface and surrounds the anal opening. The gills may consist of simple or branched leaves and may remain permanently exposed or retract into a specialized branchial cavity. Traditionally, dorids with exposed gills were referred to as phanerobranchs, whereas those capable of retracting their gills into a branchial cavity were referred to as cryptobranchs. However, anatomical and developmental studies have shown that this distinction does not represent a simple evolutionary sequence and that the evolution of the branchial cavity is more complex than previously considered.<\/p>\n

The digestive gland of dorids is compact and consists of a variable number of lobes. The group exhibits considerable diversity in body ornamentation, coloration, feeding structures, reproductive anatomy, and chemical defence mechanisms.<\/p>\n

Dorids are predominantly carnivorous, and many species exhibit a high degree of dietary specialization. Sponges constitute the main food source for numerous lineages, while other species feed on bryozoans, ascidians, cnidarians, or other sessile marine invertebrates. These specialized feeding relationships may be associated with the acquisition, modification, or synthesis of defensive chemical compounds.<\/p>\n

The traditional classification of Doridina recognizes two major infraorders: Bathydoridoidei and Doridoidei. Bathydoridoidei comprises a small lineage of dorids predominantly associated with deep-water environments, whereas Doridoidei contains most of the group’s diversity and includes numerous shallow-water lineages. Within Doridoidei, the classification of Bouchet et al.<\/em> (2017) recognizes the superfamilies Chromodoridoidea, Doridoidea, Onchidoridoidea, Phyllidioidea, and Polyceroidea, together with some taxa not assigned to a superfamily.<\/p>\n

The taxonomic delimitation of Doridina has been the subject of recent debate. Korshunova et al.<\/em> (2025) proposed separating this lineage and recognizing it as the order Doridida. Subsequently, Moles et al.<\/em> (2026) advocated retaining the traditional classification and maintaining Doridina within Nudibranchia. The latter interpretation is followed here.<\/p>\n

Doridina exhibits remarkable morphological and ecological diversity. Species range from relatively smooth forms with cryptic coloration to highly ornamented animals bearing tubercles, ridges, appendages, and conspicuous colour patterns. The group occupies primarily benthic environments and includes both shallow-water species associated with rocky substrates and benthic communities and specialized deep-water lineages.<\/p>\n

Dietary specialization, morphological diversity, and the various chemical defence mechanisms of dorids have played an important role in their diversification and remain prominent areas of research in comparative anatomy, chemical ecology, development, and evolution.<\/p>\n

The systematic classification of Doridina presented below is based on Bouchet et al.<\/em> (2017) and its treatment in the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), with consideration of subsequent systematic revisions:<\/p>\n

Doridina<\/strong><\/p>\n