The Florida Regal Doris

The Florida Regal Doris, Felimare picta (Schultz in Philippi, 1836), is one of the nudibranch sea slugs found offshore along Sanibel Island and other parts of Southwest Florida. At about 50 mm, it is one of the largest nudibranchs in this part of the world. The Florida Regal Doris shows an elegant color pattern of yellow lines and elliptical markings against a dark blue, sometimes almost black, background. The gills are visible as a set of feather-like projections on posterior part of the animal. The egg mass in this species is orange, measuring in average about 25 mm (about an inch). The photo shows microscopic eggs embedded in the delicate, ribbon-like, gelatinous support structure. All photos taken at the Museum’s Live Tank.

The Florida Regal Doris, Felimare picta, from the Gulf of Mexico, offshore of Sanibel Island, and its egg mass.

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