Phyllidia tula

Phyllidia tula is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Phyllidiidae.[1]

Phyllidia tula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Euctenidiacea
clade Doridacea
Superfamily:
Phyllidioidea
Family:
Phyllidiidae
Genus:
Phyllidia
Species:
P. tula
Binomial name
Phyllidia tula
Marcus & Marcus, 1970

Distribution

This species was described from the Ellice Islands, now known as Tuvalu. Brunckhorst examined the type material kept at the US National Museum and additional material from Guam and redescribed the species in greater detail.[2] It has also been reported from the Marshall Islands.[3]

Description

This nudibranch has a black dorsum with large yellow-capped tubercles surrounded by pale blue or translucent white rings. Towards the edge of the mantle these tubercles become small and scattered, sometimes without any yellow caps. The rhinophores are yellow or orange. A distinctive feature is the presence of small, yellow-capped, tubercles at the edges of some of the large tubercles in the middle of the back, and scattered smaller tubercles between the larger ones. The underside of the foot is grey with a longitudinal black line. It is very similar to Phyllidia carlsonhoffi and Phyllidia madangensis.[3][4]

Diet

This species feeds on a sponge.

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References
  1. Bouchet, P. (2015). Phyllidia tula Er. Marcus & Ev. Marcus, 1970. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-10-30.
  2. Brunckhorst D.J. (1993) The systematics and phylogeny of phyllidiid nudibranchs (Doridoidea). Records of the Australian Museum suppl. 16: 1-108.
  3. Johnson S. & Johnson, J., (2016) Phyllidia tula Marcus & Marcus, 1970 Underwater Kwajalein.
  4. Rudman, W.B., 1999 (January 12) Phyllidia tula Marcus & Marcus, 1970. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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