Lembeh — 4 September 2026
- Location seen
- Lembeh, Indonesia
- Date seen
- 2026-09-04
- Depth
- 26
Dendrodoris krusensternii
Gem Doris
© Di Syrett / MacroDivers.com
About this species
- Current scientific name
- Dendrodoris krusensternii
- Common name
- Gem Doris
- Previous names
- D clavulata, D gemmacea, D gunnamatta, Dendrodoris denisoni
- Previous genera
- Actinodoris
- Order
- Nudibranchia - Doridoidea (Dorids)
- Type
- porostomata
- Genus
- Dendrodoris
- Species
- krusensternii
- Average size
- 60 mm
- Colours
- white, black, blue, yellow, orange, brown, pink
- Pattern
- spots, edged mantle, tubercles
- Body shape
- Oval
- Rhinophores
- Horizontal
- Gills
- External gill plume
Geographic Distribution
Tropical Indo-West Pacific including temperate Australasia.
Identification
A really beautiful nudibranch with lots going on. The colour is variable. The dorsum is yellow/orange/brown with bright blue spots (these are the gems). The spots are circled with black and there are some black spots too. The mantle is pink with white markings. It has white/pink tubercles both on its back (usually three to four pairs) and mantle. The gills are at the back and highly branched. White with brown edges. The Rhinophores are perfoliate in white and pink. Both gills and rhinophores are fully retractable.
Behaviour / Habitat
Mostly found on shallow reefs but has been recorded at 110 meters.
General Notes
This nudibranch was first named in 1850 and has had a number of name changes (both genus and species) before officially receiving its current name in 2006.