'Phyllidia zebrina' from South Africa

January 11, 2001
From: Valda Fraser

Dear Bill
A black and white beauty, but who is it? Hope you'll be able to solve the problem. This nudibranch was given to me to photograph by a friend, Martin Wallace.
Locality: Pumula, south coast KwaZulu-Natal, SOUTH AFRICA, 45m
Date: Dec 2000
Size: 50mm
Regards
Valda Fraser

valdafraser@mweb.co.za

Fraser, V., 2001 (Jan 11) 'Phyllidia zebrina' from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3436

Dear Valda,
This is another wonderful find. The only thing it reminds me of is Phyllidia zebrina which was described from one preserved animal from Japan. I must say if it does turn out to be the same then it much more appropriate having zebrina from Africa than from Japan.

If you look at the photo of the preserved Japanese specimen at the top of the page you will see it has a very similar colour pattern. Also it was described as having low tubercles over the body which you can see clearly in your photo (PHOTO C) and the anus opens on a small papillae which I have arrowed in PHOTO B.

In all main features then it matches Phyllidia zebrina. The problems with this identification is that Japan is a long way from South Africa and we have no records from anywhere in between. There is also no anatomical information to compare. Finally we don't know what genus "Phyllidia" zebrina really belongs in.

All things considered you have found something very interesting, I suspect it is the same as Baba's P. zebrina but we have a lot of work to do before we can be sure.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Jan 11). Comment on 'Phyllidia zebrina' from South Africa by Valda Fraser. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3436

Factsheet

Phyllidia zebrina

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