Philine orca
Gosliner, 1988

Order: CEPHALASPIDEA
Family: Philinidae

DISTRIBUTION

Widespread Indo-West Pacific species

PHOTO

southern Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, February 1985. 3mm long alive. PHOTO: Bill Rudman.

This is one of the smallest species of Philine, and one of the few which is not a translucent white colour. The resemblance of its characteristic colour pattern of black patches on a white background, to the colours of the killer whale Orca, are the reason for its scientific name.

Reference:
• Gosliner, T.M., (1988). The Philinacea (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia) of Aldabra Atoll, with descriptions of five new species and a new genus. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington, 8: 79-100, Figs 1-14.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1998 (December 18) Philine orca Gosliner, 1988. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/philorca

Related messages


Philine orca from Japan

November 14, 2003
From: Yukari Sato


Hello Dr.Rudman,
I have found this animal at Izu, Japan.
I guess this is Philine orca

Data:
Date: 8 Oct 2003
Depth: 10m
Size: 4mm.
Location: Tago, Suruga Bay, west coast of Izu peninsula, Japan

Best regards,
Yukari Sato

yuks@cg7.so-net.ne.jp

Sato, Y., 2003 (Nov 14) Philine orca from Japan. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11371

Thanks Yukari,
This small, but distinctively coloured species, has a wide distribution throughout the Indo-West Pacific
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Nov 14). Comment on Philine orca from Japan by Yukari Sato. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11371