Phyllidia tula? from the Marquesas Ids

March 7, 2000
From: Clay Bryce

Hi Bill,

Here is a phyllidiid I recently collected in the Marquesas Islands.

It matches Brunckhorst's description of Phyllidia tula except that the colouring is a little on the pale side. The foot has a stripe and the oral tube has the 2 longitudinal stripes on the dorsal surface.

Data: Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Is., 25m on rocky slope, 19/10/99


All the best,
Clay Bryce

brycec@museum.wa.gov.au

Dear Clay,
On first view I wouldn't have suggested P. tula. It looks most like Phyllidia madangensis but that species does not have a median dark line on the sole and no markings on the foregut. The next most similar is Phyllidia carlsonhoffi which does have a median line on the sole but has a dark transverse band on the foregut.

Which leaves P. tula. Although 'typical' Phyllidia tula is more tuberculate than the Marquesas' animal, it matches in having both a median dark line on the sole and two dark longitudinal lines on the foregut.

Cheers,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Mar 7). Comment on Phyllidia tula? from the Marquesas Ids by Clay Bryce. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2001

Factsheet

Phyllidia tula

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