Phyllidiopsis cardinalis
Bergh, 1875

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Phyllidiidae

DISTRIBUTION

Throughout the tropical Indo-West Pacific

PHOTO

UPPER: Oronte Point, Guam, 29m, April 1984. Dorsolateral view of 25mm spm, Brunckhorst, 1993: Plate 7F.
LOWER: Bile Bay, Guam, 2m, June 1973. Dorsal view of 20mm spm, Brunckhorst, 1993: Plate 7E.
PHOTOS: C. Carlson & P. Hoff.

Notes compiled from Brunckhorst, 1993:
Phyllidiopsis cardinalis has a complex, multicoloured dorsum that is characteristic of the species. The median tubercles are very large and globose. Small, pale yellow, rounded tubercles arise on the large basal tubercle (i.e., multicompound). A network of reddish-orange veins runs between the pale yellow tubercles. The ventral yellow coloration is also characteristic. The side of the yellow foot has dark spots and the fused oral tentacles have a very broad base and deep, long grooves.

The unique and complex coloration render P. cardinalis totally different from any other known phyllidiid species. In external appearance, it is unlike any of its congeners which possess either pink, white or blue coloration and which lack yellow coloration ventrally. Phyllidia ocellata has gold-yellow coloration but none of the other colours of the present species.

Reference:
• Brunckhorst, D.J. (1993) The systematics and phylogeny of Phyllidiid Nudibranchs (Doridoidea). Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement 16: 1-107.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (August 1) Phyllidiopsis cardinalis Bergh, 1875. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/phylcard

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