Phyllodesmium kabiranum
Baba, 1991

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Glaucidae

DISTRIBUTION

Known from Japan, and reported here from the Philippines.

PHOTO

Sabang, Puerto Galera, the Philippines. January 2002. Depth: 18.7 meters. Approx. 38mm long. Photo: Todd Garthwaite

Described as 'deep orange-yellow (saffron-yellow)' by Baba, all photos I have seen of this species suggest it might be better described as light brown or orange-brown in colour. There is an opaque white line, of irregular width, running down the dorsal midline from the head to the tail, and the upper half of the oral tentacles and rhinophores are the same colour. The basal half of the cerata are the brownish background colour and the upper halves are opaque white or yellowish. There are also thin darker brown lines running from the tip of the cerata down to the base. There is quite a bit of variability in colour with some animals have very little white, anywhere on the body or cerata, while in other specimens the whole ceras can be white with thin brown lines running from the tip to the base.

References:
• Baba, K. (1991) Taxonomical Study on some species of the genus Phyllodesmium from Cape Muroto-misaki, Shikoku, and Okinawa Province, southern Japan (Nudibranchia: Facelinidae. Venus, The Japanese Journal of Malacology, 50(2): 109-124, Figs1-9, Pl.1.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (April 4) Phyllodesmium kabiranum Baba, 1991. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/phylkabi

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