Phyllidiopsis cardinalis? from Reunion Is

December 4, 2003
From: Yves Coze

Dear Bill,
During a dive recently [November 2003] at Cap La Houssaye (10 m, Reunion Island), I spotted this nudibranch in a rocky and sandy area. It's the first time I have seen a nudibranch like this one, could you please confirm what it is.

My best guess would be Phyllidiopsis cardinalis but I'm not quite sure.

Thank's in advance
Yves Coze

info@rando-reunion.com

Coze, Y., 2003 (Dec 4) Phyllidiopsis cardinalis? from Reunion Is. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11574

Dear Yves,
Yes this is Phyllidiopsis cardinalis. At the left end of your photo [posterior end of the animal] you can clearly see the anal opening [see lower left close-up]. One way phyllidiids differ from other dorids is that they no longer have a circle of gills around the anus. Instead they have secondary gills in the space between the side of the body and the mantle [see lower photos on Torsion and nudibranch gills page]. The lower right photo shows the shape of the mantle tubercles and the incomplete reddish reticulate pattern usually found in this species
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Dec 4). Comment on Phyllidiopsis cardinalis? from Reunion Is by Yves Coze . [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11574

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Phyllidiopsis cardinalis

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