Phyllidia madangensis
Brunckhorst, 1993

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Family: Phyllidiidae

DISTRIBUTION

Known from the tropical western Pacific Ocean (Guam, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea).

PHOTO

18 m depth, Madang, PNG, 18 Feb. 1988, dorsal view of 43 mm specimen, Photo: R.C. Willan (Brunckhorst, 1993: Plate 3E).

Notes compiled from Brunckhorst, 1993:
Phyllidia madangensis is characterised by having few, sparsely scattered notal tubercles and no dark stripe on the foot sole. Rhinotubercles occur in all Phyllidia species, but the presence of a small tubercle immediately in front of each rhinophoral pocket appears to be unique to Phyllidia madangensis. Although similar to Phyllidia carlsonhoffi, Phyllidia varicosa and Phyllidia tula, the present species has no black line on the foot sole.

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 (January 12) Phyllidia madangensis Brunckhorst, 1993. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/phylmada

Related messages


Mating? Phyllidia Sulawesi

January 3, 2007
From: Mike Krampf

Dear Bill

I just thought I'd share this picture of what I assume is a pair of Phyllidia sp mating.

Locality: Dive Site - Demak off Bangka Island, 45 ft, Sulawesi, Indonesia, Celebes Sea, 22 October 2006, Fringing reef. Length: 3 cm. Photographer: Mike Krampf.

Mike

mtkrampf@yahoo.com

Krampf, M., 2007 (Jan 3) Mating? Phyllidia Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18654

Dear Mike,
I thinnk it would cause a few problems if the two large animals in your photo were mating. The blue one on the left is Phyllidia varicosa, while the large, predominantly black one is Phyllidia madangensis, although it is hard to distinguish it from P. carlsonhoffi  from this photo. Over on the right of the photo is a smaller phyllidiid which looks like a species of Phyllidiella or perhaps Phyllidiopsis. I don't recall a species like this which seems to have black pigment right to the mantle edge.

To answer your question. I don't think the two large animals are mating. If you look carefully you can see the anal papilla on P. madangensis which means the head of P. varicosa and the 'tail' of P. madangensis are together, which is not a mating position.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Jan 3). Comment on Mating? Phyllidia Sulawesi by Mike Krampf. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18654

Phyllidia madangensis at Vanuatu

October 18, 2003
From: Gary Cobb

Hi Bill!
Please find attached a photo I took while diving at Aore Island Santo Vanuatu.

I think it is Phyllidia madangensis, 40mm long, 15m depth, Sept 2003

Gary Cobb

gary@cobb.com.au

Cobb, G., 2003 (Oct 18) Phyllidia madangensis at Vanuatu. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11192

I agree Gary,
Bill Rudman

Phyllidia madangensis from Vanuatu

October 5, 2003
From: Gary Cobb

Hi Bill,
Can you help me identify this nudibranch please?. I found it at Efate Island [Hideaway Island], Vanuatu
Site: Gothum City
Depth: 16m
Length: 20mm
Date: April 2003
Day time

Many thanks again,
Gary Cobb

gary@cobb.com.au

Dear Gary,
This is Phyllidia madangensis. Another species, Phyllidia carlsonhoffi, is very similar in colour but in that species the large tubercles are interspersed with small tubercles.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Oct 5). Comment on Phyllidia madangensis from Vanuatu by Gary Cobb. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11058

Phyllidia madangensis from Papua New Guinea

November 11, 2001
From: Marli Wakeling

Hi Bill,
I think that this may be Phyllidia madangensis. I haven't been able to verify it.

Dive Site: Planet Channel, near Kavieng, Papua New Guinea
Date: July, 2001
Depth: 20 metres
Length: 50mm
Photograph: Marli Wakeling

Marli

scubamarli@excite.com

Wakeling, M., 2001 (Nov 11) Phyllidia madangensis from Papua New Guinea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5532

Dear Marli,
Yes this is P. madangensis.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Phyllidia madangensis from Vanuatu

October 3, 2001
From: Ken Tucker

Dear Bill,
I'm sending you what looks to be a very image of Phyllidia madangensis .

27 March 2000, off Aoba, Ambae Island, Vanuatu Islands. Depth was less that 50 ft, no measurement taken.

Ken

ken@kilili.com

Tucker, K., 2001 (Oct 3) Phyllidia madangensis from Vanuatu. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5067

Thanks Ken,
Yes it certainly looks like P. madangensis. This species looks very like P. carlsonhoffi from the dorsal view, but in that species each large tubercle on the back is separated by a very small secondary tubercle.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Oct 3). Comment on Phyllidia madangensis from Vanuatu by Ken Tucker. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5067