Philinopsis cyanea? from Victoria, Australia

March 24, 2006
From: Trevor McMurrich

Hi Bill,
I found the attached nudibranch and assumed it was Philinopsis cyanea but then I saw the Philinopsis depicta Fact Sheet which is more similarly coloured to the one I found than any P. cyanea I have seen on the forum.

Locality: Steeles Rock, Portarlington, 2 metres, Victoria, Australia, Port Phillip Bay, 18 March 2006, sand. Length: 25 mm. Photographer: Trevor McMurrich.

The different distributions of the two nudibranchs would infer it is P. cyanea. Can you please confirm identification?

Kind Regards
Trevor McMurrich

trevm@aanet.com.au

McMurrich, T.B., 2006 (Mar 24) Philinopsis cyanea? from Victoria, Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16141

Dear Trevor,
If you want to get really confused, have a look at the Fact Sheet from Philinopsis speciosa. My feeling is that P. cyanea, P. speciosa and P. depicta are one species. If you read my comments on the P. speciosa Fact Sheet you will see I don't think there are any obvious - or subtle - anatomical differences between the three species. I guess I am just a little hesitant to take the plunge and start calling them all P. depicta.

I almost forgot to mention that Port Phillip Bay is quite a way south for this species, which essentially has a tropical distribution. It is sometimes found down the east coast of Australia, in New South Wales, and probably gets into South Australia by way of the warm water currents down the West Australian coast, but Victoria doesn't usually receive these tropical adventurers.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Mar 24). Comment on Philinopsis cyanea? from Victoria, Australia by Trevor McMurrich. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16141

Factsheet

Philinopsis cyanea

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