Philine sp. from sthn Queensland

September 3, 2009
From: Gary Cobb


Concerning message #22053:

Hi Bill and everyone!
After a couple dives at Flinders Reef we came inside the Bay to have a spot of lunch. Me always trying to get as much as possible decided to have a sieving session just off the beach at Bulwer again. 3 sieves later we found Philine sp. which is different from anything we have seen.

Locality: Bulwer Beach, Moreton Island, 4 m, Queensland, Australia, Pacific Ocean, 01 August 2009, Subtidal. Length: 21 mm. Photographer: Gary Cobb.

Cheers
Gary

gary@nudibranch.com.au

Cobb, G.C., 2009 (Sep 3) Philine sp. from sthn Queensland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22620

Dear Gary,

Thanks for another interesting find. Without having a look at its anatomy I can't be sure but my guess is that this is an aglajid rather than a philinid. There are some small species of Philine which have this elongate cylindrical shape but I would expect to see some sign of either calcareous or horny gizzard plates through the translucent body wall. I think I can see a sign of a bulbous buccal mass at the front of the body which would fit with a species of Melanochlamys. It reminds me a lot of the pale form of Melanochlamys queritor which is at present known from parts of New South Wales and Victoria.

I can see the fragile internal shell, at the posterior end of the body, as been cracked. Its shape also fits the photos I have on the Forum of the shell of M. queritor.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2009 (Sep 3). Comment on Philine sp. from sthn Queensland by Gary Cobb. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22620

Factsheet

Melanochlamys queritor

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