Phyllidia multituberculata C. R. Boettger, 1915

Description

A medium-sized phyllidiid with a black dorsum studded with yellow rounded tubercles, each ringed by a fine white halo. Closely resembles the Pacific Phyllidia ocellata, but distinguished by its restricted Indian Ocean distribution.

Distribution

Originally described from Pulu Bambu in the Aru Islands, Indonesia. Subsequent records are concentrated in the Indian Ocean, including the western Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea margins.

Etymology

The specific epithet multituberculata is a Latin compound of multi- ("many") and tuberculatus ("bearing tubercles"), in reference to the numerous rounded tubercles on the dorsum.

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References

• Phyllidia multituberculata n. sp., Boettger C.R. (1918). Die von Dr. Merton auf den Aru- und Kei-Inseln gesammelten Mollusken. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft. 35(4): 469-557.
• Yonow N. (2012). Opisthobranchs from the western Indian Ocean, with descriptions of two new species and ten new records (Mollusca, Gastropoda). ZooKeys. 197: 1-129. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.197.1728