Phyllidiella rosans from East Africa

July 2, 2002
From: Bernard Picton

Hi Bill,
Here is another puzzling phyllidiid from East Africa. It is also from Pemba Island where I spent a week diving in Feb 1999 from the boat Kisiwani.

I think this is Phylidiella rosans - I'm very confused as to whether I also have P. zeylanica [see separate message]. Most of the pictures of P. rosans seem to show no cross-bars of black, only longitudinal bars. I've enclosed this photo which shows part of a group feeding on a sponge, all about 15mm long. The tubercles seem to be too low for P. zeylanica but more separate than P. rosans?
Bernard

bernard.picton.um@nics.gov.uk

Picton, B., 2002 (Jul 2) Phyllidiella rosans from East Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6467

Dear Bernard,
I am pretty sure this is P. rosans. Brunckhorst (1993) included animals which ranged from those with short longitudinal ridges as in your photo to animals with ridges running the length of the body. he considered 'smooth' non-tuberculate ridges characterised this species but from the various photos on the Forum it would seem some small tubercles, like in your photo, are part of the variability. I will discuss my views on the animals you think may be P. zeylanica in your separate message.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Jul 2). Comment on Phyllidiella rosans from East Africa by Bernard Picton . [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6467

Factsheet

Phyllidiella rosans

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