A New Species of Dendrodoris (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Dendrodorididae) from the Pacific Coast of North America

A new species of the genus Dendrodoris, D. azineae, is described based on a specimen collected from La Jolla Canyon, San Diego County, and photographs of animals from Sycamore Banks, Malibu and Carmel Bay, California. Dendrodoris azineae is characterized externally by its unique color, dissimilar to any described species worldwide, having purple gills and rhinophores. Internally, D. azineae differs from other eastern Pacific species in the size of the prostate and bursa copulatrix, and shape and size of the ampulla and the genital atrium. Thus far D. azineae is only known from southern to central California.