Phyllidiella zeylanica feeding

October 6, 2005
From: Lindsay Warren

Dear Bill
Here is the second of the two feeding opisthos from Madagascar - a Phyllidiella pustulosa which in no way wanted to be moved from this 'restaurant'. It and the sponge were on one of several small coral heads which lie to the east of the very small island of Nosy Toloho. We just managed to get a dive in before a heavy squall forced us to leave the area and head back to the mainland near Nosy Bé.

Locality: Nosy Toloho, Iles Mitsio, NW Madagascar, Indian Ocean.
Depth: 22 ft. Length: 42 mm. 23 January 2002. Shallow sandy area surrounding small island with scattered coral heads / bommies and seagrass
Photographer: Lindsay Warren

As with the Chromodoris africana [message #14894 ], I also do not know what species of sponge it is feeding on. Hopefully someone will be able to hazard a good guess.

All the best
Lindsay

lwarren@datonomy.co.uk

Warren, L.C.R., 2005 (Oct 6) Phyllidiella zeylanica feeding. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14895

Dear Lindsay,
I am pretty sure this is Phyllidiella zeylanica rather than P. pustulosa. The double pink margin around the mantle edge, and the tubercles arranged in rows are characteristic of P. zeylanica. Brunckhorst reports this species feeding on Smenospongia sp. but I I will need to get this photo of yours checked to see if this sponge is possibly the same
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Oct 6). Comment on Phyllidiella zeylanica feeding by Lindsay Warren. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14895

Factsheet

Phyllidiella zeylanica

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