Fryeria bayi
Bouchet, 1983

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Phyllidiidae

DISTRIBUTION

Endemic to the Mediterranean Sea.

PHOTO

38 m depth, Punta Bianco, Corse, Mediterranean Sea, Aug. 1981, dorsolateral view of 8 mm specimen, Photo: C. Huygens (Brunckhorst, 1993: Plate 5D).

Notes compiled from Brunckhorst, 1993:
The pale cream dorsum with its fine, pale brown, mottled pattern sets F. bayi apart from all other Fryeria species. The dorsal intestinal sac is also unique to this species.

Fryeria rueppelii, Fryeria guamensis, Fryeria menindie and Fryeria marindica all have a black background, gold-yellow capped tubercles and gold rhinophores (pale cream in F. bayi). Fryeria larryi is closer to F. bayi, but it has yellow coloration (no brown pigmentation) and is not mottled. In contrast, F. larryi possesses a few red, transverse lines which occur laterally.

Note: See message discussing whether this species should be in the genus Phyllidiopsis.

References:
• Brunckhorst, D.J. (1993) The systematics and phylogeny of Phyllidiid Nudibranchs (Doridoidea). Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement 16: 1-107.
• Bouchet, P (1983) Decouverte du genre Indo-Pacifique Fryeria (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchiata) en Mediterranee. Annales de l'Institut Oceanographique, 59(1): 65-68.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (July 15) Fryeria bayi Bouchet, 1983. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/fryebayi

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