Phyllidiella cf. annulata from SE Sulawesi (1)

June 30, 2002
From: Lindsay Warren

Dear Bill,
Following your posting about Phyllidiella cf. annulata from Christmas Island I checked through Phyllidiella photos I took in the Tukang Besi Archipelago, SE Sulawesi, Indonesia [Operation Wallacea] and found several which are similar to the Christmas Island specimen and one closer in appearance to P. annulata. So I thought I would add to the discussion of puzzling Phyllidiids by sending you several shots. Not being able to clearly identify them at the time we gave them the temporary name of Phyllidiella OWN227.

Specimen OS0625 [upper right] was found by Oliver Miller on 10 August 1999 on Karang Kaledupa. L: approx 20mm. Unfortunately I only took shots of its upper surface. The pink pigmentation is strong and the central notal rings are quite pronounced.
Photo: Lindsay Warren.

All the best
Lindsay

alldcl@compuserve.com

Warren, L., 2002 (Jun 30) Phyllidiella cf. annulata from SE Sulawesi (1). [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7155

Dear Lindsay,
Your photos in this and your accompanying message are a good opportunity to sort this puzzle out - or at least clarify the problem. I have pulled out all the photos I have of this colour/pustule form and put them on a separate Phyllidiella cf. annulata page. As I say on that page, the pink mantle border and tuberculate ridge down each side are consistently different from 'typical' P. annulata. Another similar looking animal is the one I have called Phyllidiella cf. zeylanica and which Erwin Kohler inquired about in an earlier message. It differs from P. cf. annulata in having a black mantle border and 2-3 longitudinal ridges down each side. Until we get information on variation within populations of these animals I am not sure how many species there are. In the meantime, I think it is best, within reason, to separate them into 'look-alike' groups as I have done here.
Cheers,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Jun 30). Comment on Phyllidiella cf. annulata from SE Sulawesi (1) by Lindsay Warren. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7155

Factsheet

Phyllidiella cf. annulata

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