Plocamopherus ceylonicus
(Kelaart, 1858)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: ANADORIDOIDEA
Family: Polyceridae
Subfamily: Triophinae

DISTRIBUTION

Tropical Indo-West Pacific.

PHOTO

UPPER: Angourie, North Coast of New South Wales, March 1982. C132967
LOWER: Solitary Islands, Coffs Harbour region, New South Wales, C155708, March 1988.
PHOTOS: Bill Rudman.

Brown patches and speckling with orange-yellow spots around the edge of the foot and on the mantle. The four papillae surrounding the gills are tipped by a large rounded pinkish knob which flashes light when disturbed. It is not known how this luminescence occurs. The posterior tip of the foot extends into a long tapering 'tail'.

References:
• Kelaart, E.F. (1858). Description of a new Ceylonese nudibranch. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, series 3, 1(4): 257-258
• Rudman, W.B. & Darvell, B.W. (1990). Opisthobranch molluscs of Hong Kong: part 1. Goniodorididae, Onchidorididae, Triophidae, Gymnodorididae, Chromodorididae (Nudibranchia). Asian Marine Biology, 7: 31-79

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (March 27) Plocamopherus ceylonicus (Kelaart, 1858). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/plocceyl

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