Philine orientalis from South Korea

December 16, 2005
From: Dong Bum Koh

Dear Bill,
Here is a photo what I think of Philine orientalis from South Korea. This animal digs into the sandy bottom and therefore we can't see the head region.

Locality: Hwa Soon. Jeju island, South Korea. Pacific. Depth: 5 m. Length: approx. 60 mm. 21 Oct. 2005. Sandy bottom. Photographer: Dong Jin Kim

Best regards,
Dong Bum Koh

drkoh@seasee.co.kr

Koh, D.B., 2005 (Dec 16) Philine orientalis from South Korea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15459

Dear Koh,
As I discuss on the Fact Sheet and earlier messages, there is some doubt concerning the identity of Philine orientalis because it wasn't well described. However if we accept it is the species identified from Hong Kong as P. orientalis [see message #192], then the body shape of your animal is the same. Philine angasi from Australia and New Zealand, and P. aperta from the Atlantic are two of a small group of large species of Philine which are instantly recognisable from the shape and nature of their gizzard plates, which are heavily calcified and consist of 2 large plates, which are mirror images of each other, and a third, much smaller plate of a much more symmetrical shape. These species have a much more muscular body than other species of Philine, and the parapodia are large flattened muscular structures which give the body a flattened, stiff, wedge-like shape, making them very efficient burrowers. Your animal has this shape, whcih fits with the gizzrd plate morphology of what we are calling P. orientalis from Hong Kong.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Dec 16). Comment on Philine orientalis from South Korea by Dong Bum Koh. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15459

Factsheet

Philine orientalis?

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