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rhinophores
 

young, 9 mm
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Actinocyclus verrucosus
Ehrenberg, 1831
 
Actinocyclus verrucosus
Maximum size:  60 mm (Kay, 1979).

Identification:  This is a mottled, dusky-gray to brown dorid with a leathery texture. It has compact gills and tubercles tipped with darker brown. Minute white flecks are scattered over the notum, the gills and the upper side of the foot. Fine secondary tubercles appear to develop before the larger primary tubercles in young animals.

Natural history:  On Maui Actinocyclus verrucosus is a rare species reported from protected to exposed rocky habitats. However, it may sometimes be common in protected habitats on Oahu. It occurs in tide pools and subtidally. It lays a white egg mass. (Kay, 1979).

Distribution:  Maui, Oahu and Kauai: widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific.

Taxonomic notes:  This is the species listed as Actinocyclus japonicus  (Eliot, 1913) in Kay, 1979, Kay & Young, 1969 and Bertsch & Johnson, 1981. It was first reported in Hawaii from Kaneohe Bay, Oahu in July, 1963 (Kay & Young, 1969).

Photo:  Scott Johnson: 19 mm: Hale'iwa, Oahu; July 7, 1979.

Observations and comments:

Note 1:  ( )
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