Phyllidia mimic from Red Sea

February 28, 2001
From: Bernard Picton

Dear Bill,

Your Phyllidiella sp 1 from Erwin Koehler is a Phyllidia mimic - I enclose a scan of an animal which I collected in the Sinai in 1980. The gills [see inset] are very inconspicuous - perhaps fish are smarter than we give them credit!

Nathalie Yonow had these specimens but I don't know if she did anything with this one.

Bernard

bernard.picton.um@nics.gov.uk

Picton, B., 2001 (Feb 28) Phyllidia mimic from Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3761

Note added 5 March 2007: This is a species of Paradoris. It was previously on the Forum as Doris? sp. 3.

Thanks Bernard,
When you can't see the gills it certainly looks like a phyllidiid. After gettng your message I had a look through the phyllidiid mimics on the Forum and realise I already have it asDoris sp. 3.

So I have amalgamated all the messages on to one page. They certainly are amazing animals and although I have no evidence, I can't help feeling that these phyllidiid look-alikes are mimicking phyllidiids to enhance their chances of survival.
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Feb 28). Comment on Phyllidia mimic from Red Sea by Bernard Picton . [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3761

Factsheet

Paradoris cf. liturata

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