Phyllidia ocellata and mimic from Mozambique

June 10, 2001
From: Kirsty Miller


Dear Bill

I found these nudibranchs on coral reefs depth 18 m at Ponta Malongane in Southern Mozambique. Size is 3 cm. I think they both are Phyllidia ocellata. Could you please help me with an ID

Thanks
Kirsty Miller

divegirl@xsinet.co.za

Miller, K., 2001 (Jun 10) Phyllidia ocellata and mimic from Mozambique. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4499

Dear Kirsty,
Your upper photo is certainly P. ocellata. It is the colour form that Nathalie Yonow nameed as the subspecies P. ocellata undula. The lower photo is quite interesting as I am pretty sure it is a flatworm, perhaps of the genus Pseudoceros. Many flatworms are very brightly coloured and are often mistaken for nudibranchs. Some flatworms appear to mimic certain species of nudibranch, which may be the case here. You can see at the left end of the animal in your lower photo that the dge of the body has two high folds which in these flatworms act as tentacles.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Jun 10). Comment on Phyllidia ocellata and mimic from Mozambique by Kirsty Miller. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4499

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Phyllidia ocellata

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