Phyllidia varicosa from Tioman, Malaysia

July 17, 2002
From: Maliza Anuar

Bill,
Photo from Tioman Island, off the east coast of west Malaysia. Dive Site: Soyak Island, 23 July 2002, 4pm. Depth: 13-15m. Size: 4cm

I see loads of these guys when diving around Tioman and also loads without the yellow tips. Are those without the yellow tips the same species?
Maliza

emaliza@hotmail.com

Anuar, M., 2002 (Jul 17) Phyllidia varicosa from Tioman, Malaysia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7475

Dear Maliza,
This is Phyllidia varicosa. If you go to the Species List you will see a frighteningly long list of species under the Family Phyllidiidae. I wish we could say that those with yellow tips were one species and those without were another but I am afraid their are many species which only differ from others in the most subtle differences in colour pattern or tubercle arrangement. The reason you see so many around is that they have glands in their skin which produce distasteful and poisonous secretions, so they are to some extent protected from the attentions of hungry fish, even in daylight.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Jul 17). Comment on Phyllidia varicosa from Tioman, Malaysia by Maliza Anuar. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7475

Factsheet

Phyllidia varicosa

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