Phyllidiella zeylanica
(Kelaart, 1859)

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DORIDINA
Superfamily: EUDORIDOIDEA
Family: Phyllidiidae

DISTRIBUTION

Restricted to the tropical Indian Ocean where it occurs from eastern Africa to Java.

PHOTO

UPPER RIGHT: 1 m depth, Phi Phi Island, southern Thailand, 24 Nov. 1989, dorsal view of 45 mm specimen (Brunckhorst, 1993: Plate 6F); LOWER LEFT: 4-10 m depth, Phi Phi Island, southern Thailand, 25 Nov. 1989, dorsal view of 24 mm specimen (Brunckhorst, 1993: Plate 6E); LOWER RIGHT: 8 m depth, Phi Phi Island, southern Thailand, 25 Nov. 1989, dorsal view of 15 and 40 mm specimens with egg mass of latter, on food sponge, Smenospongia sp. (Brunckhorst, 1993: Plate 6G).

Notes compiled from Brunckhorst, 1993:
Phyllidiella zeylanica is characterised by its numerous, very tuberculate, pink ridges which curve to join anteriorly and posteriorly (but may be interrupted), its pale foot sole, and its dark triangular oral tentacles. It differs from Phyllidiella pustulosa which does not possess ridges, and from Phyllidiella rosans which possesses relatively smooth rounded ridges (very tuberculate in P. zeylanica). For specimens of similar size, the rhinophoral clavus of P. zeylanica possesses fewer lamellae than P. rosans.

Reference:
• Brunckhorst, D.J. (1993) The systematics and phylogeny of Phyllidiid Nudibranchs (Doridoidea). Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement 16: 1-107.

PHOTOS: LOWER LEFT: 4-10 m depth, Phi Phi Island, southern Thailand, 25 Nov. 1989, dorsal view of 24 mm specimen (Brunckhorst, 1993: Plate 6E); LOWER RIGHT: 8 m depth, Phi Phi Island, southern Thailand, 25 Nov. 1989, dorsal view of 15 and 40 mm specimens with egg mass of latter, on food sponge, Smenospongia sp. (Brunckhorst, 1993: Plate 6G).

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (September 12) Phyllidiella zeylanica (Kelaart, 1859). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/phylzeyl

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