Phyllidia sp. e359

Sadly, one of the most common nudibranchs in the Marshalls cannot easily be put into any of the known species. Like P. tula, P. varicosa, P. carlsonhoffi, and P. elegans, this species bears a black line running from front to back on the bottom of its foot, but it really doesn't fit into any of those species. This is a large phyllidiid, much like P. tula and P. varicosa, but the former has its largest dorsal tubercles surrounded by smaller ones and the latter's tubercles line up and form ridges. In P. varicosa, the black background color forms streaks toward the margins; in this species, margins tend to be black with small bumps all the way along, more like P. tula. Phyllidia carlsonhoffi averages much smaller and is more elongate, and the tubercles are white towards the bases rather than blue. Also, in P. carlsonhoffi, the bumps tend to be more sparse, causing the animal to appear more like a black animal with a few scattered colored bumps, while the more crowded bumps of species e359 gives more of a blue and orange impression. Phyllidia elegans differs in that its bumps have pink bases.

This species appears to be one of the Mullerian mimics of P. varicosa.

The color on the margin of the specimen below starts to look a little like that of Phyllidia varicosa.

Hmm, a couple of the larger dorsal tubercles on the specimen blow look like they're starting to get a few smaller warts forming around them.

The photo below is a young specimen, more the length of a typical Phyllidia carlsonhoffi, but the bumps don't look anything like that species, and this animal is a lot more oval rather than elongate.

Created 25 December 2006
Updated 2 August 2008

References:

Brunckhorst, D.J. 1993. The Systematics and phylogeny of Phyllidiid nudibranchs (Doridoidea). Records of the Australian Museum suppl 16. 107pp.

Marcus, E. & E. Marcus. 1970. Opisthobranch mollusks from the southern tropical Pacific. Pacific Science 24: 155-179.