Phyllodesmium guamense
| Phyllodesmium guamense | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura |
| Superfamily: | |
| Family: | |
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| Genus: | |
| Species: | P. guamense
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| Binomial name | |
| Phyllodesmium guamense Avila, Ballesteros, Slattery, Starmer & Paul, 1998[1]
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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
The type locality of Phyllodesmium guamense is Piti, Guam, Micronesia. Additional specimens were found in Cocos Island Lagoon nearby.[1]
Description
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
Phyllodesmium guamense feeds on Sinularia polydactyla, Sinularia maxima and Sinularia sp.[1]
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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