Jump to content

Phyllodesmium guamense

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Phyllodesmium guamense
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Cladobranchia
Family: Myrrhinidae
Genus: Phyllodesmium
Species:
P. guamense
Binomial name
Phyllodesmium guamense
Avila, Ballesteros, Slattery, Starmer & Paul, 1998[1]

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

The specific name guamense refers to the island of Guam, its type locality.

Distribution

[edit]

The type locality of Phyllodesmium guamense is Piti, Guam, Micronesia. Additional specimens were found in Cocos Island Lagoon nearby.[1]

Description

[edit]

Phyllodesmium guamense uses camouflage and it looks like the soft coral Sinularia. The maximum recorded length of the slug is 48 mm. This species contains zooxanthellae which are distributed throughout the inflated cerata.[1]

Ecology

[edit]

Phyllodesmium guamense feeds on Sinularia polydactyla, Sinularia maxima and Sinularia sp.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Avila C., Ballesteros M., Slattery M., Starmer J. & Paul V. J. (1998). "Phyllodesmium guamensis (Nudibranchia: Aeolidoidea), a new species from Guam (Micronesia)". Journal of Molluscan Studies 64: 147–160. abstract.
  2. ^ Bouchet, P. (2010). Phyllodesmium guamense Avila, Ballesteros, Slattery, Starmer & Paul, 1998. In: Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S.; Rosenberg, G. (2010) World Marine Mollusca database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2012-06-05