Phyllodesmium briareum in aquarium shipment

February 27, 2006
From: Michael Mrutzek


Dear Bill,
This one is coming from Jakarta/Indonesia with imported aquarium animals in  Nov. 2005. Photographer: Michael Mrutzek

I find them on this Stolonifera and this slug is eating the colony.
I cant find a NAME for this. Can you help?

Regards,
Michael

Michael@meeresaquaristik.de

Mrutzek, M., 2006 (Feb 27) Phyllodesmium briareum in aquarium shipment. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15946

Dear Michael,
This is an interesting find. It is Phyllodesmium briareum which appears to feeds on a number of soft corals, including Pachyclavularia violacea, which I suspect is the one your animals are on. The brown specks arranged in lines down the cerata, are little clusters of zooxanthellae, whch are microscopic plants like those in hard corals. Have a look at the Fact Sheets on solar-powered slugs for further information. I would suspect, that if you have plant friendly lights in your aquarium, the Phyllodesmium will be able to obtain nutrition from the zooxanthellae, so won't need to eat your soft coral full time.

I hope you are willing to take the risk, as these are fascinating animals, and it would be a shame to destroy them just to protect the soft coral.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Feb 27). Comment on Phyllodesmium briareum in aquarium shipment by Michael Mrutzek. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15946

Factsheet

Phyllodesmium briareum

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