William B. "Bill" Rudman (born 1944) [1] [2] is a malacologist from New Zealand and Australia. [2] In particular he studies sea slugs, opisthobranch gastropod molluscs, and has named many species of nudibranchs.
Rudman has a PhD from the University of Auckland, gained with a thesis on bullomorph opisthobranchs. [3] Rudman ran the Sea Slug Forum, a website affiliated with the Australian Museum. In Rudman's words, the forum "aims to generate more interest in these fascinating animals by sharing information with a worldwide audience.". [4] Sea Slug Forum has information and numerous images of nudibranchs, bubble-snails, sea hares and other kinds of sea slugs. It was discontinued in 2010 after 14,523 messages had been posted. [5] It is still online as a resource, but not accepting new messages.
Species named in honour of this malacologist include:
The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) lists 186 marine species named by Rudman. [6]
Rudman's bibliography includes: [7]
Chromodorididae, or chromodorids, are a taxonomic family of colourful, sea slugs; dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Doridoidea. “Chromodorid nudibranchs are among the most gorgeously coloured of all animals.” The over 360 described species are primarily found in tropical and subtropical waters, as members of coral reef communities, specifically associated with their sponge prey. The chromodorids are the most speciose family of opisthobranchs. They range in size from <10mm to over 30 cm, although most species are approximately 15–30 mm in size.
Chromodoris lochi, common name Loch's chromodoris, is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.
Chromodoris thompsoni is a species of very colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.
Ardeadoris egretta, the heron ardeadoris, is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. It is the type species of the genus Ardeadoris.
Doriprismatica atromarginata is a species of sea slug. It is a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.
Phyllodesmium is a genus of predatory sea slugs, aeolid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Facelinidae.
Mexichromis is a genus of colourful sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks in the family Chromodorididae. Current synonymy follows a revision of Chromodorididae which used molecular phylogeny.
Thorunna is a genus of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks in the family Chromodorididae.
Verconia is a genus of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks in the family Chromodorididae.
Goniobranchus aureomarginatus is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.
Goniobranchus fidelis, also commonly known as the faithful sea slug, is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.
Ardeadoris averni is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. It was transferred to the genus Ardeadoris on the basis of DNA evidence.
Doriprismatica dendrobranchia is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.
Hypselodoris whitei is a colourful species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.
Hypselodoris kanga is a species of sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.
Verconia haliclona is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.
Verconia purpurea is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae. It was first described in 1949 by Kikutaro Baba as Noumea purpurea.
Thorunna perplexa is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.
Goniobranchus reticulatus is a species of colourful sea slug or dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.
Doriprismatica is a genus of sea slugs, dorid nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks in the family Chromodorididae.