Selection: Dendrodoris fumata

Dendrodoris fumata (Rueppell & Leuckart, 1831) [Doris]

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Dendrodoris fumata often has large blackish patches on a lighter background, but unfortunately this is not exclusive to this species. There are 5 or 6 large branching gills which often spread from one side of the mantle to the other and are situated in some distance from the extreme posterior end. There are small papillae on the skin of the mantle, which are usually black.
Very similar are
Dendrodoris nigra which can externally be distiguished by the shape of the body when crawling: Dendrodoris nigra is more elongate. Another feature is the position and nature of the gills: In Dendrodoris nigra the gills are relatively numerous and form a compact circle around the anus at the extreme posterior end of the dorsum.
Dendrodoris arborescens which has a black body without white spots and a marginal orange/red band.
More informations on Dendrodoris fumata are at Bill Rudman's Sea-Slug Forum!