Philinopsis cyanea from Lizard Is
February 3, 2003
From: Nils Anthes
Dear Bill,
Philinopsis cyanea appears to be common on sandy beaches at Lizard Island [north Queensland, Australia] in all possible colour variations. I include 2 pictures [lower photos] that show the colour range.
We also found 2 specimens [upper right photo]at the same places, that basically lack the typical P. cyanea pattern, but are covered with small whitish spots all over. The margins of the parapods have inconspicuous orange and blue lines. They resemble in colouration P. troubridgensis. What is the difference between these two species?
Kind regards,
Nils
anthes@uni-muenster.de
Anthes, N., 2003 (Feb 3) Philinopsis cyanea from Lizard Is. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9063
Dear Nils,
I'm pretty sure the spotted animal in the top photo is part of the colour variation within P. cyanea. If you look at some of the photos in other messages you will see intermediates between your colour pattern and more 'typical' specimens. I illustrated this wide colour variation in a population I found in Zanzibar [Rudman, 1972]. This spotted colour pattern does look quite like 'typical' P. troubridgensis, but that species also seems to be quite variable in colour. Unfortunately we don't know much about P. troubridgensis because most records are of dead or dying specimens washed up on beaches in South Australia. Its one claim to fame is its size. Growing to at least 70mm long, it is probably the largest
• Rudman, W.B. (1972) A comparative study of the genus Philinopsis Pease, 1860. (Aglajidae, Opisthobranchia). Pacific Science, 26(4): 381-99, 15 figs, 1 plate.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
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