Hawaiian Opisthobranchiates • — OsTERGAARD 
bordered medially with a bright orange, where- 
as those of nealae are uniformly green. 
Glossodoris ( = Chromodoris) prismatica 
lineata (Pease) 
Fig. 12 
Doris prismatica var. lineata Pease, Zool. Soc. 
London, Proc. I860: 32. 
Body elongate, slender, of equal width from 
head to branchiae, tapering posteriorly and 
continuing anteriorly with a broad and round- 
ed head shield. The rhinophores, which are 
retractile into sheaths with short white collars, 
are elongate, directed anteriorly and laterally 
and laminated about half their length with 
12 laminae. The branchiae, retractile and sur- 
rounded by a low white collar, encircle the 
vent. They are 9 in number, small, lanceolate, 
and provided with 10 or 11 thick, spoon- 
shaped pinnae tapering in size at distal end of 
the gill. Foot elongate, conforming in width 
with body, rounded anteriorly, tapering to a 
point posteriorly, where it may be flexed 
dorsally beyond the cloak. Eyes minute, lo- 
cated posteromediad of the rhinophores. Oral 
tentacles short and blunt, directed antero- 
laterad of mouth. Color light grayish purple 
with body marked with longitudinal inter- 
rupted lines of deep blue; head shield marked 
dorsally and ventrally with round white and 
purple spots of equal size and in arrangement 
conforming to margin of head shield. Row of 
round purplish spots lining under margin of 
cloak. Blue line marking dorsal surface of 
foot near border. Rhinophores light grayish 
white, encircled with orange band near tip. 
Branchiae similarly colored, but with orange 
blotch at tip and near base. Length of animal 
17 millimeters. 
The specimen on which the above descrip- 
tion is based and from which the figures are 
made was found in March, 1923, near the 
127 
Hawaii Marine Laboratory at Waikiki, where 
it was found on a rock in shallow water. Short- 
ly after, two more specimens were brought in 
from Waianae. Although these agreed closely 
with the above in size and in nearly all ex- 
ternal features, they differed essentially in 
having 11 gills instead of 9- In the type, de- 
scribed by Pease, 10 gills were present. A 
similar fluctuation in the number of gills has 
been reported previously in this family of 
nudibranchs, hence constancy in number of 
gills can not be used as a specific character. 
A variation among individuals within a spe- 
cies is reported by Alder and Hancock (1855) 
in which the gills of Doris pilosa are recorded 
as varying from 9 to 11 in number. Similar 
fluctuations in the number of gills within a 
species has also been observed by Frank M. 
MacFarland. 
Pease’s description is here given for com- 
parison: 
Elongate, soft, smooth, convexly rounded above, 
rather wider posteriorly, portion anterior to the dorsal 
tentacles somewhat dilated laterally and rounded in 
front. Branchiae small, erect, lanceolate, pinnate, ten 
in number, encircling the vent and retractile into a com- 
mon cavity. Dorsal tentacles elongate, straight, directed 
forward and laterally, lamillated about two-thirds of 
their length, and retractile into simple cavities. Foot 
elongated and projecting much beyond the posterior 
edge of the body in a point, rounded in front. Colour 
light greyish-purple, along the back and the remainder 
of body white, irregular, longitudinal, opaque fine lines 
on the dorsal region, some of which are confluent. 
Margins of foot and body beautifully edged with 
violet. Branchiae whitish and longitudinally striped 
with orange. Tentacles white, with an orange zone near 
tip, and a second near the base. 
Length 1 inch. 
This description fits well in anatomical 
proportions and in coloring with the speci- 
mens at hand, except for lacking the inter- 
rupted purple lines and the numerous round 
purple and brownish dots which are present 
in my specimens. 
A brief description with a figure of the 
spawn is given in Ostergaard (1950: 109). It 
is there referred to as Glossodoris sp. 
