Phyllodesmium magnum - size?

April 10, 2002
From: Valda Fraser

Dear Bill
This has been worrying me, so I thought I might as well clear it up with you. Your images of Phyllodesmium magnum are huge i.e. 110 and 130 mm - definitely living up to the name you gave them. The problem is that the ones that live here [see earlier message] are less than half that size. Is it common for a particular species to vary so radically in size from locality to locality?
Valda Fraser

valdafraser@mweb.co.za

Fraser, V., 2002 (Apr 10) Phyllodesmium magnum - size?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4493

Dear Valda,
No it certainly is not that common. Although it is possible that they don't grow as large in South Africa, or large ones are usually eaten, or you haven't seen a large one yet, the other possibility is that your animal is not P. magnum. I would need to have a look at its anatomy to be sure. Perhaps you were right in thinking it was P. hyalinum. It would be interesting to know what it feeds on.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Apr 10). Comment on Phyllodesmium magnum - size? by Valda Fraser. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4493

Related messages

  1. Phyllodesmium from Lembeh, Indonesia
    From: Brian Mayes, March 2, 2009
  2. Phyllodesmium magnum from Nhatrang, Vietnam
    From: Hua Thai Tuyen, June 5, 2008
  3. Re: Phyllodesmium magnum on Sinularia
    From: Gary Cobb, April 4, 2008
  4. Re: Phyllodesmium magnum on Sinularia
    From: Gary Cobb, April 4, 2008
  5. Phyllodesmium magnum juveniles
    From: Gary Cobb, April 3, 2008
  6. Re: Phyllodesmium magnum on Sinularia
    From: Gary Cobb, April 3, 2008
  7. Phyllodesmium magnum on Sinularia soft coral
    From: David Mullins, October 17, 2007
  8. Phyllodesmium magnum - trailing observation
    From: Jean-François Hervé, September 5, 2006
  9. Phyllodesmium magnum pair from the Red Sea
    From: Binyamin Koretz, October 13, 2005
  10. Phyllodesmium magnum from Elat, the Red Sea
    From: Matan Ninio, April 13, 2005
  11. Re: Phyllodesmium magnum from Thailand
    From: Paul Whitehead, January 25, 2004
  12. Re: Phyllodesmium magnum from Thailand
    From: Paul Whitehead, January 23, 2004
  13. Phyllodesmium magnum on Sinularia
    From: Cameron Bee, January 17, 2003
  14. Phyllodesmium magnum from the Marshall Islands
    From: Scott Johnson, September 11, 2002
  15. Unknown reef tank inhabitant
    From: Dean Burchell, July 23, 2002
  16. Reef Tank Hitchhiker
    From: Mike Nolette, May 21, 2002
  17. Food of orange Phyllodesmium magnum
    From: Leslie Chan, September 11, 2001
  18. An orange Phyllodesmium magnum from Hong Kong
    From: Leslie Chan, September 9, 2001
  19. Phyllodesmium magnum from Queensland
    From: Nigel Holmes, July 10, 2001
  20. Phyllodesmium magnum from South Africa
    From: Valda Fraser, May 26, 2001
  21. Phyllodesmium magnum from Hong Kong
    From: Bernard Picton , March 4, 2001
  22. Phyllodesmium magnum from Japan
    From: Yasuhiro Shirai, November 23, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages