Hypselodoris rudmani

Hypselodoris rudmani is a species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.^[2] This species is named after the well known malacologist William B. Rudman.^[3]

Hypselodoris rudmani
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Nudibranchia
Family:	Chromodorididae
Genus:	Hypselodoris
Species:	H. rudmani
Binomial name
Hypselodoris rudmani Gosliner & Johnson, 1999[1]

Distribution

The holotype of this nudibranch was collected at 11 m (36 ft) depth from Philip’s Reef (33°58.326′S 25°40.748′E), Port Elizabeth, Algoa Bay, Cape Province, South Africa. Two additional specimens in the original description were from warmer water sites further north at Park Rynie (30.333811°S 30.735542°E / -30.333811; 30.735542), Natal and Umgazana (31.702024°S 29.415939°E / -31.702024; 29.415939), Eastern Cape, South Africa.^[1] A specimen from Pointe Evatra, South Madagascar (24°58.1′S 47°6.1′E) was sequenced for three genes in a landmark study which resulted in the description of 17 new species of Hypselodoris.^[4]

Description

Hypselodoris rudmani has a translucent body dotted with white patches, and covered in small blue spots. The gills and rhinophores are white, tipped with orange.^[3][5] Hypselodoris rudmani is a member of a large clade that includes Hypselodoris katherinae, Hypselodoris paradisa, Hypselodoris maritima, Hypselodoris skyleri and Hypselodoris bertschi.^[4]

This species can reach a total length of at least 25 mm.^[3]