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flat posture
  

side
 

underside
 


rhinophores
 


branchia
 

young
 


large, 65 mm
 

feeding
 

mating
 

egg mass
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GALLERY



 
Goniobranchus vibratus
(Pease, 1860)
 
Goniobranchus vibratus
Maximum size:  65 mm.

Identification:  This species has a bright yellow notum, with white pustules, that's edged in bluish-purple scallops. The rhinophore tips are dark purple and the gills are white with dark purple edges and tips. It can be distinguished from other yellow-and-white chromodorids by the combination of white pustules with purple-tipped rhinophores and gills.  

Natural history:  Goniobranchus vibratus is a commonly seen, diurnal species found in rocky habitats in moderately protected to exposed locations at depths of < 1 to 24 m (< 3 to 80 ft). Rarely, it may occur in tide pools or the low intertidal (Bertsch and Johnson, 1981) and in Halimeda kanaloana beds. It has been observed feeding on a dark purple encrusting sponge, probably Chelonaplysilla violacea. When crawling, it rhythmically raises and lowers the anterior edge of its mantle and it also vibrates its gills. It lays a peach egg mass of 2-3 whorls. The eggs are associated with small masses of dark orange extra-capsular yolk that remain in the mass after hatching. Hatching occurs in about 7 days in the laboratory.

Distribution:  Big Island, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, Midway and Kure (also Johnston Atoll): also known from the Marshall Islands and Japan.

Taxonomic notes:  This species was listed as Hypselodoris vibrata (Pease, 1860) in Kay, 1979 and Kay & Young, 1969. While many chromodorids vibrate their gills, it was named for the habit. It's listed as Chromodoris vibrata (corrected in 2019 printing) and is referred to as the "trembling nudibranch" in Hoover, 1998 & 2006. It's also listed as C. vibrata in Bertsch and Johnson, 1981. It was first reported from Hawaii in Pease, 1860 (as Doris vibrata). Kay, 1979 considers Doris propinquata Pease, 1860 to be a synonym.

Photo:  PF: probably feeding:

Observations and comments:

Note 1:  ( )
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