Phyllodesmium colemani

Phyllodesmium colemani is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Facelinidae.[2]

Phyllodesmium colemani
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura
clade Nudipleura
clade Nudibranchia
clade Dexiarchia
clade Cladobranchia
clade Aeolidida
Superfamily:
Aeolidioidea
Family:
Facelinidae
Subfamily:
Favorininae
Genus:
Phyllodesmium
Species:
P. colemani
Binomial name
Phyllodesmium colemani
Rudman, 1991[1]

Distribution

This species was described from Lord Howe Island, Australia where it was discovered by Neville Coleman.[1] It is also known from the Philippines and the area of the central Indo-Pacific Ocean.[3]

Description

Phyllodesmium colemani uses camouflage and hides amongst the polyps of Tubipora musica on which it feeds. The length of the slug is 18 mm. This species contains zooxanthellae which are stored in aggregations of terminal chambers all over the ceratal wall.[1]

Ecology

Phyllodesmium colemani feeds on Organ pipe coral Tubipora musica usually in very shallow water, typically 2–5 m depth.[1]

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References
  1. Rudman W. B. (1991). "Further studies on the taxonomy and biology of the octocoral-feeding genus Phyllodesmium Ehrenberg, 1831 (Nudibranchia: Aeolidacea)". Journal of Molluscan Studies 57(2): 167–203. abstract.
  2. Bouchet, P. (2015). Phyllodesmium colemani. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-10-06
  3. Rudman, W.B., 2003 (December 21) Phyllodesmium colemani Rudman, 1991. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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