Phyllodesmium macphersonae from Sydney

April 30, 2001
From: Erik Schloegl

Dear Bill,
The attached photo was taken on 18 February, 2001, just south of the entrance to Sydney Harbour [New South Wales, Australia]. The depth was 23m, the substrate rocky reef, and the water temperature 22 C. The animal was about 8mm long. Can you please help me with an ID?

Thanks,
Erik

Erik.Schlogl@uts.edu.au

Schloegl, E., 2001 (Apr 30) Phyllodesmium macphersonae from Sydney. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4250

Dear Erik,
You certainly have the ability to find species I haven't got on the Forum! This is Phyllodesmium macphersonae, one of a genus of aeolids which feed on soft corals, and some of which are 'Solar powered'. I have included as an inset to your photo, a magnified veiw of part of the body to show the characteristic brown patches. These patches are little 'gardens' of one-celled plants (zooxanthellae) that the aeolid keeps alive in its body so that they continue to photosynthesise and produce nutrients for the Phyllodesmium. We still don't know which soft coral P. macphersonae feeds on, but assume it gets the zooxanthellae from a soft coral which also has them living symbiotically in its tissue. So if you run across P. macphersonae again, any information on its food would be of interest.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Apr 30). Comment on Phyllodesmium macphersonae from Sydney by Erik Schloegl. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4250

Factsheet

Phyllodesmium macphersonae

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