Phyllodesmium horridum
| Phyllodesmium horridum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Phyllodesmium horridum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura |
| Superfamily: | Aeolidioidea |
| Family: | Facelinidae |
| Subfamily: | Favorininae |
| Genus: | Phyllodesmium |
| Species: | P. horridum |
| Binomial name | |
| Phyllodesmium horridum (Macnae, 1954) | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
The coral nudibranch, Phyllodesmium horridum, is a species of sea slug, specifically an aeolid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Facelinidae.
Distribution
This species is found off Australia and Japan as well as around the South African coast from False Bay to Sodwana Bay, intertidally to at least 30 m.[2]
Description
The length of the slug is 8-27 mm.[1]
Around the South African coast, the coral nudibranch is typically between 30 and 40 mm[3] in total length. It is a slender pale-bodied aeolid with long paired pinkish cerata. The cerata have a bluish-white stripe running down their length, as does the body. Its rhinophores are smooth.
This species contains no zooxanthellae.[1]
Ecology
Phyllodesmium horridum feeds on corals of the genus Melitodes[1] (family Melithaeidae). This species of nudibranch feeds on gorgonians of the genus, Acabaria (also family Melithaeidae).
The egg ribbon is a gelatinous mass with many small white eggs.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Wagner D., Kahng S. E. & Toonen R. J. (2009). "Observations on the life history and feeding ecology of a specialized nudibranch predator (Phyllodesmium poindimiei), with implications for biocontrol of an invasive octocoral (Carijoa riisei) in Hawaii". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 372(1-2): 64-74. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2009.02.007. PDF.
- ↑ Gosliner T. M. (1987). Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8
- ↑ Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 978-1-77007-772-0
- ↑ Zsilavecz G. (2007). Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. ISBN 0-620-38054-3
- Rudman W.B. (1991) Further studies on the taxonomy and biology of the octocoral-feeding genus Phyllodesmium Ehrenberg, 1831 (Nudibranchia: Aeolidoidea). Journal of Molluscan Studies 57: 167-203