Phyllidia varicosa
©Barbara Banks: Phyllidia varicosa at Lizard Island showing anus at rear of animal (right side of photo, on blue section)
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Mollusca
Class
Gastropoda
Order
Nudibranchia
Family
Phyllidiidae
Genus
Phyllidia
Species
Phyllidia varicosa
Colours
Distinguishing features
A large solid nudibranch with numerous (3-6) longitudinal ridges bearing tubercles, including a median ridge. Ridges and bases of tubercles are blue/grey, tubercles capped with yellow. Black stripes between the ridges. On underside, foot has a black longitudinal stripe.
Size
- Up to 10 cm (Length) - applies to Lizard Island specimens
Synonyms
Similar taxa
-
Animalia:
species: Phyllidia coelestis
does not have a black line on the foot sole. -
Animalia:
species: Phyllidia elegans
has a black line on the foot sole but it is never blue (only pink or grey). It also has black lines close to the upper foot edges (usually obscured by mantle) that are absent in Phyllidia varicosa.
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Web resources
References
- Cortesi, F. and K.L. Cheney (2010). Conspicuousness is correlated with toxicity in marine opisthobranchs, Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 23: 1509-1518. LIRS catalog number 1360.
- Waegele, H., I. Burghardt, N. Anthes, J. Evertsen, A. Klussman-Kolb and G. Brodie (2006). Species diversity of opisthobranch molluscs on Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, In: Contemporary studies into the systematics and evolution of opisthobranch molluscs, (Eds. G. Brodie, S. Fahey and F.E. Wells), Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 69: 33-59. LIRS catalog number 1036.