Phestilla goniophaga Hu, Zhang, Yiu, Xie & Qiu, 2020
- Location
- Tulamben, Pulau Bali, Indonesia
- Date
- 2018/01/24
- Length
- ??mm
- Depth
- 20.0m
- Water temperature
- 27.0℃
Description
A small aeolid nudibranch reaching about 30 mm in length. The body is pale brown to reddish-brown, with very numerous long cerata — up to 16 rows with up to 23 cerata per row, the highest count among Phestilla species. A characteristic white rounded hump sits on the dorsal midline and is interpreted as visual mimicry of a coral polyp. The egg masses are a distinctive bright orange and are deposited as coiled ribbons.Distribution
Originally described from Sharp Island and Chek Chau in Hong Kong waters at about 2 m depth. Subsequently reported across the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific.Etymology
The specific epithet goniophaga is a compound of the host coral genus name Goniopora and the Latin phagus ("eater"), meaning "the one that eats Goniopora".Remarks
An obligate predator on flowerpot corals (Goniopora), feeding while mimicking the host coral polyps in colour and shape.References
Featured in this book
小野篤司 & 加藤昌一. (2020). 新版 ウミウシ. 誠文堂新光社.
誠文堂新光社
This species, Phestilla goniophaga, is included in the book.
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Tag:
Same Genus Nudibranchs
Similar Colors Nudibranchs
Academic Database
Sea slug observation data is available in international marine biodiversity databases.