Phyllidia carlsonhoffi Brunckhorst, 1993 - Phyllidiidae

Phyllidia carlsonhoffi

Brunckhorst, 1993

Photographed by: Edward Blackshaw

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Opisthobranchia
Order:	Nudibranchia
Suborder:	Doridina
Family:	Phyllidiidae
Species:	Phyllidia carlsonhoffi

Comment from Richard Willan on photo #4892

A nice photo of a typical individual. Note the alternating large conical orange-capped tubercles and small rounded white tubercles on the mantle.

Comment from Richard Willan on photo #4893

A juvenile individual.

Comment from Richard Willan on photo #1409

In having white patches connecting the pustules on the centre of the mantle, this individual is like the one from Saipan taken by Harry Blalock in the previous batch of images.

Comment from Richard Willan on photo #1376

This is a typical individual in that the white patches at the base of the tubercles on the central section of the mantle do not coalesce, in comparison with some of the other animals of this species on Nudi Pixel where the patches show considerable coalescing.

Comment from Richard Willan on photo #1356

An atypical individual in that the dorsal tubercles along the midline are united by white patches. Normally the white pigment is only present as a ring around the base of the tubercles.

Comment from Richard Willan on photo #1035

This individual has more white pigment on the mantle than I have seen before. To be absolutely sure this individual is indeed Phyllidia carlsonhoffi and not the similar looking Phyllidia madangensis, a detailed image would need to be taken of the head (Phyllidia madangensis has a small tubercle immediately in front of each rhinophoral pocket, whereas Phyllidia carlsonhoffi has none) and also of the under surface (Phyllidia madangensis has a median longitudinal black line, whereas Phyllidia carlsonhoffi has none).