Doto fragilis - Marine Life Encyclopedia

Doto fragilis (Forbes, 1838)

Doto fragilis

Description: This is a pale brown Doto with many large tuberculate cerata in two rows along the sides of the body. There are raised, white, glandular spots along the sides of the body. The rhinophore sheaths are trumpet-shaped with flared outer rims.

Habitat: This is a common species, especially in late summer, feeding on Nemertesia antennina and Nemertesia ramosa colonies. A smaller form is often found on Halecium halecinum and a giant form on Halecium muricatum.

Distribution: Common all round the British Isles, and from Norway to the Mediterranean.

Similar Species: Two other scarcer species are similar to Doto fragilis in having a brown hue and lacking dark spots on the tubercles. They are Doto hystrix and Doto lemchei.

Key Identification Features:

Brown hue in skin but no dark surface pigment spots.
White glands along the flanks of the body.

Distribution Map: NBN map : National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

WoRMS: Species record : World Register of Marine Species.

iNaturalist: Species account : iNaturalist World Species Observations database

Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2016). Doto fragilis (Forbes, 1838). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=W12790 Accessed on 2024-10-07

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