Phyllodesmium colemani from Indonesia

July 6, 2007
From: Aaron Fink

Bill:

Thanks for your help with my recent nudibranch image collection from our Indonesian trip. As per your suggestion, I am posting the image of this unknown Phyllodesmium species that I photographed there in hopes that other members might be able to assist in its identification.

Locality: Gamfi Island, 30 feet, Indonesia, Banda - Raja Ampat, 21 October 2006, Coral reef. Length: 1.5 - 2 cm. Photographer: Aaron Fink.

Best
Aaron

afink01@comcast.net

Fink, A. S., 2007 (Jul 6) Phyllodesmium colemani from Indonesia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19669

Dear Aaron,

I think this may be Phyllodesmium colemani which feeds exclusively on the stoloniferan 'Organ pipe Coral', Tubipora musica. Your animal is sitting on a cnidarian colony but I can't see if it is Tubipora or not. Another possibility is P. briareum but in that species the brown zooxanthellae are arranged in longitudinal rows down each ceras which doesn't seem to be the case from what I can see in your photo. There is also the possibility that it is another unnamed species. Sorry I can't be more definite but this genus, like so many other nudibranchs is still a 'work in progress'.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Jul 6). Comment on Phyllodesmium colemani from Indonesia by Aaron Fink. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19669

Factsheet

Phyllodesmium colemani

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