Phyllidiopsis striata Bergh, 1889

Description

A small phyllidiid; the preserved type specimen measures 12 mm long, 4 mm wide and is strongly flattened. The ground colour is velvety black but is almost overwhelmed by the white patterning. The narrow mantle border is white with scattered elongate, narrow white islets; separated from this by a narrow velvety black band, a second white band runs entirely parallel to the mantle margin. The whole central area of the back is traversed by three longitudinal white bands, which join one another anteriorly and posteriorly; the two lateral bands are pierced near the front by the rhinophore openings, and the median band is pierced just before its posterior end by the anal pore. The bands are entirely flat, with hardly a trace of knots. The underside of the mantle border is greyish-white; the gill leaves and foot edge are paler grey; the rhinophores are coal-black.

Distribution

Type locality: Ile aux Fouquets, Mauritius. The species is distributed in the western Indo-Pacific on rocky and coral reefs.

Etymology

The Latin striatus (feminine striata) is from stria ("stripe, line"), meaning "striped, with stripes" — a descriptive epithet evoking the three white longitudinal stripes on the black dorsum.

Remarks

A representative western Indian Ocean species of the sponge-feeding genus Phyllidiopsis.

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References

• Phyllidiopsis striata, Bgh. n. sp., Bergh R. (1888). Nudibranchien vom Meere der Insel Mauritius. In: Semper C. (ed.), Reisen im Archipel der Philippinen. II. Wissenschaftliche Resultate. Bd. II, Abt. II (Malacologische Untersuchungen Bd. III), Heft XVI: 755-814. Wiesbaden: C.W. Kreidel's Verlag.