Phyllidia varicosa? from Thailand

January 10, 2001
From: Dave Harasti

Bill,
Is this nudibranch Phyllidia alyta or P. varicosa?? It was found off Koh Tao Island in Thailand (late October 2000) and it was very very common, it could be found everywhere at various depths from 1 to 20 metres.

Thanks,
Dave Harasti
http://www2.dynamite.com.au/davidh/Thailand/nudibranchs/nudibranchs.htm

davidh@dynamite.com.au

Harasti, D., 2001 (Jan 10) Phyllidia varicosa? from Thailand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3368

Dear David,
I'm afraid it is not always easy to identify these animals from one dorsal photo. Often two or three very similarly coloured species will occur at the same locality and it is only by having information on other characters, such as the median black line on the sole of the foot, which occurs in some species of Phyllidia, that an attempt at identifications can be made. In this case I really would need to know where the anus was. One genus, Fryeria, is characterised by having the anus opening in the posterior midline below the mantle skirt, and it is possible that some of these are a species of Fryeria.

So with that proviso here are my guesses:
TOP RIGHT: They are both probably Phyllidia varicosa but the upper animal has all the tubercles separated which is not usual in P. varicosa.
LOWER PHOTOS: These are probably both Fryeria marindica but it is possible that the LOWER RIGHT animal is Phyllidia elegans.

Sorry I can't be more definitive but I sometimes have problems with these when I have the live animal in my hand.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Jan 10). Comment on Phyllidia varicosa? from Thailand by Dave Harasti. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3368

Factsheet

Phyllidia varicosa

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