Phyllidiopsis sinaiensis? from Red Sea

February 24, 2000
From: Erwin Koehler


Bill,
My first idea was Phyllidiella pustulosa, then I noticed the rhinopores and that it has no pink mantle edge. Now I think it might be
Phyllidiopsis sinaiensis Yonow, 1988 - but I have no description of this one...Can you help with an ID? The quality of the photos is
rather poor, they are some of my first uw-photos. Better bad photos than no photos. They are from the Red Sea, Egypt, Safaga, divesite "Tobya Arba", 11m depth, size ~ 15 mm, May 31, 1993.
Erwin

Medslugs.Koehler@t-online.de

Koehler, E., 2000 (Feb 24) Phyllidiopsis sinaiensis? from Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1908

Note added 5 March 2007: This is a species of Paradoris. It was previously on the Forum as Doris? sp. 3.

Dear Erwin,
Your animal is a bit of puzzle. I agree it doesn't fit Phyllidiella pustulosa very well but I have my doubts about it being Phyllidiopsis sinaiensis.

Your earlier photo of Phyllidiopsis sinaiensis is almost identical to the illustration of the holotype in Nathalie Yonow's original description. One apparently characteristic feature of that species is the median ridge down the mantle. In the photos here from Egypt there is clearly no central ridge. However like P. sinaiensis this animal has simple tubercles, but it differs in having black rhinophore clubs. In P. sinaiensis the rhinophore clubs are white on the anterior face and black posteriorly.

Black rhinophores are a character of Phyllidiella but it doesn't seem to fit any species I am familiar with.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Note added 27 February 2001: This animal is a dorid mimic of Phyllidiella. See Bernard Picton's message..

Factsheet

Paradoris cf. liturata

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