Phestilla lugubris (Bergh, 1870)

Phestilla lugubris can be found often if you look in the right places. It eats Porites corals and usually hides underneath them during the day. We find them most often under colonies of Porites that have broken free from the reef and fallen, usually on their sides or upside down. Occasionally, Phestilla minor shares the same Porites colony. We have seen P. lugubris at Enewetak and Kwajalein Atolls on intertidal reefs, lagoon pinnacles, and on the seaward slope to depths of about 25m. The photo immediately below shows an individual on living Porites.

The underside of the Porites colony is usually dead and white, and this is where the nudibranchs deposit their white, flowery egg masses.

Created 8 January 2007
Updated 25 June 2008