Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Phyllidia varicosa

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Kingdom
  
Superfamily
  
Genus
  
Phylum
  
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Scientific name
  
Phyllidia varicosa

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Species

Phyllidia varicosa Sea slug description of Phyllidia varicosa Reunion island Indian

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Phyllidia, Phyllidia ocellata, Phyllidiella pustulosa, Phyllidiidae, Phyllidiella

Phyllidia varicosa nudibranch


Phyllidia varicosa is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Phyllidiidae.

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Phyllidia varicosa Phyllidia varicosa main page

phyllidia varicosa


Distribution

This species is widely distributed throughout the Indo-West Pacific Oceans including the central Pacific and the Red Sea.

Description

Phyllidia varicosa httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

This is a large species growing to at least 115 mm. It can be distinguished by its numerous (3 to 6), longitudinal, tuberculate notal ridges. The ridge and bases of the tubercles are a blue-grey colour. The tubercles are capped in yellow. The foot sole has a black longitudinal foot stripe. The rhinophoral clavus possesses 27 to 30 lamellae.

Mimicry

Phyllidia varicosa The Sea Slug Forum Phyllidia varicosa

Juveniles of the sea cucumber, Pearsonothuria graeffei are brightly coloured and closely resemble Phyllidia varicosa. They are white and blue or black, with a few large, yellow, thorn-like projections. These bright colours warn predators of the toxicity of the nudibranch, and this mimicry on the part of the sea cucumber species serves to protect it also. The adult sea cucumber has much duller colouration, but it is also much larger than the sea slug and has its own toxic chemicals at this stage.

Phyllidia varicosa The Sea Slug Forum Phyllidia varicosa

References

Phyllidia varicosa Wikipedia


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