Re: Philippines Phyllidiopsis?

January 28, 1999
From: Erwin Koehler


Dear Bill,
Concerning my earlier message which you identified as Phyllidiopsis krempfi. I think, I've been a little bit blind - there are two slugs at this photo, one rhinopore of the second one is clearly visible at the left
border of the photo: there are no typical black strips on the rhinopores of both specimen. The Rhinopores are light pink with a whitish top. I think they are not Ph. krempfi.

I've posted a larger version of this photo on the Philippines section of my
website

Erwin

Koehler, E., 1999 (Jan 28) Re: Philippines Phyllidiopsis?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/521

Dear Erwin,
I've added an illustration showing the front and rear ends of your animal magnified. I don't think you were blind. I think the "rhinophore' at the rear end (left picture) is a long anal papilla! The only Phyllidiopsis with such a structure is Phyllidiopsis fissuratus. It is possible that is what your animal is. Against such a suggestion is:
(a) that it is only known from the southwest Pacific (but that is no great problem - you may just have increase its known distribution)
(b) its rhinophores don't seem to have the black line down the posterior edge (but maybe its aberrant, or we can't see the posterior edge clearly).

Another puzzling feature is that the rhinophores seem to have an associated tubercle (Brunckhorst's "rhinotubercle") which is supposed to be a feature of only Phyllidia and Fryeria. In short it's a bit of a puzzle. The main external feature of Phyllidiopsis is the fused oral tentacles which we can't see in the photo. It is also possible that this is a new species.

At the moment I have moved your message to Phyllidiopsis fissuratus but I can't say I'm 100% sure.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Jan 28). Comment on Re: Philippines Phyllidiopsis? by Erwin Koehler. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/521

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Phyllidiopsis fissuratus

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