puce-coloured spots, relieving with great force the delicate rose-coloured branchial processes.
Sometimes the body is bright yellow, with the spots both on it and on the
branchise, of a fine carmine; and another variety occurs with the branchial processes
nearly colourless, being tinged only with a watery green, and having the spots almost
black.
Doto coronata is found on all parts of our coast that have been properly examined,
and may be considered amongst the most common of our deep water species. Its favourite
haunt is amongst the corallines that grow at a short distance from the shore, in between
fifteen and twenty fathoms water: of these it appears to prefer Plumularia fa lca ta and
Sertularia abietina. Dr. Johnston states that he found about a dozen specimens on one
tuft of Plumidaria Catherina. It is also frequently found on Sertularia pumila among
the rocks at low-water mark.
This species is found on the French, Dutch, and Swedish coasts, so that its range
probably extends through the whole of the European seas.
The spawn is always found on corallines; the ova are white and deposited-in a
thick gelatinous riband, which is folded on the stem of the coralline in a zig-zag manner.
July appears to be the height of the breeding season; spawn, however, occurs both in June
and August.
After having been referred to at least six genera by different authors, this little animal,
it is to be hoped, may at last find a resting-place in the genus to which, following Dr. Loven,
we have now consigned it.
The Doris pinnatijida of Montagu, which we place with doubt as a synonym of this
species, is still involved in much obscurity. We had hoped, while on the Devonshire coast,
to have satisfactorily made out that species, especially as we explored Montagu’s favourite
dredging grounds, and, while in Salcombe estuary, had the assistance of the boatman who
was accustomed to attend him. Our search for this and some others of Montagus lost
species was, however, without success. Doto cormata was found at Salcombe, and we also
met with the same species in Torbay as well as Doto fra g ilis . Is it not possible, therefore,
that one of these may really be the Doris pinnatijida ? Dr. Johnston thought that he recognized
it in the latter, but we are of opinion, from its small size, slender form, and the spots on
the tips of the branchial tubercles (an almost invariable character in D. coronata, but never
found in D. fr a g ilis ,) that it is much more likely to belong to the former species. There is,
in fact, nothing in Montagu’s description, if we except, perhaps, the colour, and an additional
row of tubercles on the branchiae,* which does not agree with the characters of D. coronata.
The figure is less like it, but some allowance must be made for the evident want of skill in the
artist. The number of branchial processes is not mentioned in the description, but nine pairs
are represented in the figure, a number beyond what we have ever found in D. coronata,
though in one instance we have seen it with eight pairs; it is, however, still less like the
young of D. fra g ilis, which, when no larger than Montagu’s specimen, has only six pairs of
branchial processes, and no more than three or four rows of papillae, and is, moreover, entirely
without spots. Further observations may throw additional light on the subject, but should
* M. D’Orbign/s Tergipes coronata, which we have given as a synonym of our species, has the
same number of rows of tubercles as Montagu’s Doris pinnatijida.
no other species be found agreeing better with the description and figure, the occurrence
of D. coronata on that part of the Devonshire coast may afford a fair presumption of its
identity with the long lost Doris pinnatijida.
Another of Montagu’s species, referrible to this genus, stands in a somewhat similar predicament;
namely, Doris maculata, which agrees with the present species in the form,
colour, and markings of the body, but differs in the branchiae being much smaller and with
only one whorl of tubercles. We have occasionally found D. coronata with one or two of
the processes of a similar form to this, either from the individuals being young, or from new
branchiae being in process of reproduction where others had fallen off. We have never met
with an individual with all the branchiae in this state, but the possibility of such an occurrence
induces us to look upon this species also with some suspicion.
A more complete examination of the species on the southern coast is very desirable.
Fig. 1, 2, 3.
4.
5.
Doto coronata, different views.
Spawn.
A portion of the same more highly magnified.