Phyllidia cf. haegeli ( Fahrner & Beck, 2000 )

Tibiriçá, Yara, Pola, Marta & Cervera, Juan Lucas, 2017, Astonishing diversity revealed: an annotated and illustrated inventory of Nudipleura (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) from Mozambique, Zootaxa 4359 (1), pp. 1-133 : 58

Phyllidia cf. haegeli ( Fahrner & Beck, 2000)

( Figure 19 F–G )

Material examined. One specimen. ZMBN117018, ZGWS, 0 2 Feb. 2012, 21m, 49mm.

Habitats. Subtropical rocky reef.

Occurrences. Zavora.

Geographic distribution. Indo-west Pacific. Indonesia ( Fahrner & Beck 2000) and potentially Mozambique.

Remarks. This specimen shares features with P. varicosa , P. coelestis , P. marindica and particularly P. haegeli ( Fahrner & Beck, 2000) . All have rhinotubercles, a greyish background, ridges formed by yellow-capped tubercles, black bands and golden-yellow rhinophores ( Brunckhorst 1993; Fahrner & Beck 2000). Phyllidia coelestis differs by having a middle longitudinal black band and Phyllidia marindica by a single median ridge. Phyllidia varicosa resembles Phyllidia haegeli dorsally, but living specimens have a distinctive line on the sole of the foot and they are usually larger, lighter in colour and less flattened ( Fahrner & Beck 2000, Fahrner & Schrödl 2000). Few differences exist between our specimen and Phyllidia haegeli . The collected specimen has outer black bands that unite anterior to the rhinophores, while in P. haegeli they converge but do not merge. Furthermore, the specimen exhibits inner longitudinal bands that unite posteriorly but in P. haegeli they are shorter and do not merge. The main distinction is associated with the outer longitudinal black bands: in the collected specimen, these bands are shorter and connect with the radial lines to create an inverted “V”. As Phyllidia can be highly variable ( Stoffels et al. 2016), it is not possible to confirm the taxonomic status without further molecular or anatomical review.

Figures

FIGURE 19. A, Sclerodoris tuberculata (MB28-005086). B–C, Phyllidia alyta (MB28-004883) dorsal and ventral view.D–E, Phyllidia coelestis (MB28-004781 and MB28-004896, respectively). F–G Phyllidia cf. haegeli (ZMBN117018) dorsal and ventral view. H–I, Phyllidia marindica (MB28-004780) dorsal and ventral view. J, Phyllidia ocellata (MB28-005092). K–L, Phyllidia varicosa (MB28-004450) dorsal and ventral view.