Familia Dendronotidae

Odhner, 1934

Body limaciform, bearing dorso-lateral arborescent pallial cerata (4-8 pairs). These cerata lack cnidosacs but are penetrated by lobes of the digestive gland in the juveniles. An oral veil is present, bearing 2-5 pairs of finger-like processes which are usually subdivided. The rhinophores are elongated, swollen and bear 8-30 transverse lamellae. The free margins of the rhinophore sheaths are produced to form numerous branched processes. Another branched pedunculate process arises from the lateral face of each rhinophore sheath. Anal, renal and genital openings are on the right flank.
The digestive gland consists of three lobes, one large posterior part and two smaller anterior subdivisions, with lobular diverticula extending into the rhinophore sheaths and cerata (in juveniles only). Gizzard-plates are lacking. The radula is moderately narrow (6.1.6 to 21.1.21), with in each row a strongly cusped median tooth and elongated narrow pointed laterals. A pair of strong jaws is present.
The ovotestis is a large discrete structure ventral to the digestive gland; the penis is unarmed.

Source: Thompson, 1988.

The following subtaxa of this family occur in the region:

Genus Dendronotus
Dendronotus frondosus

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