Phyllidiella annulata

Phyllidiella annulata is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Phyllidiidae.[2]

Phyllidiella annulata
A live individual of Phyllidiella annulata in situ in Polynesia, head end towards the right
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Doridina
Superfamily: Phyllidioidea
Family: Phyllidiidae
Genus: Phyllidiella
Species:
P. annulata
Binomial name
Phyllidiella annulata
(Gray, 1853)[1]

Description

Phyllidiella annulata can reach a length of 30–37 mm. It shows a distinctive dorsal pattern usually consisting of a black background with various rings of small bright pink tubercles with black spots in the centre. This species lacks compound tubercles, tubercular clusters and ridges of tubercles.[3]

Habitat

It occurs on shallow coral reefs and rubble, at a depth of about 15 m.

Distribution

This species was described from Lord Hood's Island, Pacific Ocean. It has been reported from the Red Sea, in the tropical Indian Ocean and in central-western Pacific Ocean.

Bibliography
  • Gary R. McDonald, University of California Santa Cruz - Nudibranch Systematic Index
  • Brunckhorst, D.J. (1993) The systematics and phylogeny of Phyllidiid Nudibranchs (Doridoidea). Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement 16: 1-107.

References
  1. Gray, J. E. (1853). Revision of the families of nudibranch mollusks, with the description of a new genus of Phyllidiadae. Annals & Magazine of Natural History, series 2, 11(63):218-221.
  2. Bouchet, P. (2015). Phyllidiella annulata (Gray, 1853). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-11-03.
  3. Rudman, W.B., 1999 (September 11) Phyllidiella annulata (Gray, 1853). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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