Phyllidia coelestis
Bergh, 1905
Photographed by: Steven Tessy
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Opisthobranchia |
| Order: | Nudibranchia |
| Suborder: | Doridina |
| Family: | Phyllidiidae |
| Species: | Phyllidia coelestis |
Comment from Richard Willan on photo #5441
Without photos of the undersurface showing the foot sole, it is impossible to identify this individual with certainty. It is more likely to be Phyllidia coelestis because there are numerous tubercles on the outer flanks of the mantle and they get progressively smaller towards the edge, but the colour pattern is not consistent with Phyllidia coelestis of course because of the black arches in this one. Comment from Nathalie Yonow on photo #23439
Three black lines distinguish coelestis from alyta, which has four.Comment from Richard Willan on photo #20854
A juvenile individual.Comment from Nathalie Yonow on photo #16149
This is an interesting one - it looks like it has been damaged on the dorsum in the past, and repaired itself.Comment from Nathalie Yonow on photo #16150
Sames as specimen on page 4 with damage.Comment from Nathalie Yonow on photo #14422
This shows very clearly that juveniles of some species are identical to the adults.Comment from Nathalie Yonow on photo #21863
this looks upside down to me!Comment from Richard Willan on photo #8511
A very small juvenile individualComment from Richard Willan on photo #6772
A juvenile individual.Comment from Richard Willan on photo #6259
A juvenile individual.Comment from Richard Willan on photo #393
An excellent photo of a typical individual.Comment from Richard Willan on photo #2177
The large mid-dorsal pustules do not combine to form longitudinal ridges in Phyllidia coelestis, as occurs in Phyllidia varicosa.Comment from Richard Willan on photo #2036
A typical individual. Note the orange rhinophores and the numerous small pustules on the outer section of the mantle. There is no black longitudinal stripe on the foot sole.Comment from Richard Willan on photo #1129
It is Phyllidia coelestis, not Phyllidia varicosa. It does not have the pustules arranged into longitudinal ridges on its dorsum and I guarantee, if turned over, it would not have a series of longitudinal dashes on the foot sole (Phyllidia varicosa has the ridges dorsally and the stripe on the foot sole).Locality:
- Philippines
- Anilao (17) Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec
- Puerto Galera (10) Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Aug, Oct, Nov
- Malapascua (7) Mar, Apr, May, Aug, Sep, Dec
- Dauin (7) Feb, Apr, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Dec
- Apo Island (3) Mar, Apr, Aug
- Philippines (2) Feb, Mar
- Dumaguete (2) May, Aug
- Romblon (2) Apr
- Davao (2) Feb
- Sogod Bay (1) May
- Boracay (1) Dec
- Zamboanguita (1) Apr
- Indonesia
- Bali (12) Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Sep, Nov, Dec
- Bunaken (12) Feb, Mar, May, Jul, Aug, Nov
- Wakatobi (7) Jan, Mar, May, Sep, Oct
- Raja Ampat (5) Jan, Apr, May, Nov, Dec
- Lembeh (5) Mar, Jul, Aug, Sep, Dec
- North Sulawesi (3) Mar, Apr, May
- Ambon (3) Jun, Oct, Dec
- Lombok (3) Aug, Nov
- Rinca Island (3) Oct
- East Java (3) Mar, Aug
- Manado (3) Mar, Oct
- Komodo (3) Jun, Aug, Oct
- Halmahera (2) Apr, Jul
- Flores (2) Mar, Nov
- West Java (2) Jul
- Karimunjawa (2) Aug
- Lampung (1) Mar
- Triton Bay (1) Dec
- Kaimano (1) Apr
- Sangeang Island (1) Sep
- Bangka North Sulawesi (1) Nov
- Maratua (1) Aug
- Sumbawa (1) Sep
- Kenya
- Malaysia
- Tioman (5) Jan, Jun, Aug, Sep, Oct
- Mabul (3) Jun, Aug
- Redang (3) May
- Perhentian (3) May, Jul
- Royal Charlotte Reef (2) Apr, Oct
- Lankayan (2) Jun, Sep
- Sabah (2) Mar
- Layang Layang (2) Apr
- Aur - Dayang (1) Jun
- Mantabuan (1) Aug
- Sipadan (1) Dec
- Japan
- Okinawa (4) Jan, Jun
- Solomon Islands
- Solomon Islands (3) Apr, Jul, Aug
- Timor-Leste
- Timor-Leste (3) Jan, Feb, Jul
- India
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands (3) Jan, Apr, Jul
- Seychelles
- Seychelles (2) Feb
- Fiji
- Fiji (2) Jan, Feb
- Bligh Water (1) Sep
- PNG
- New Britain (1) Nov
- Tufi (1) Apr
- Palau
- Palau (1) Feb
- Thailand
- Similan Islands (1) Jan
- Surin Islands (1) Apr
- Phuket (1) May
- Koh Phi Phi (1) Dec
- Vietnam
- Vietnam (1) May
- Mauritius
- Mauritius (1) Jan
- Micronesia
- Kosrae (1) Aug
- Réunion
- Réunion (1) Oct
- Sri Lanka
- Nilaveli (1) Jul
- Taiwan
- Kenting (1) Aug
Pictures of Phyllidia coelestis
Similar Species
Author: Nila Murti
To untrained eye, Phyllidia coelestis can easily be mistaken for Phyllidia varicosa and vice versa. Understandable, as these two posses very similar basic form, coloration and pattern. Both have tubercles with blue bases and yellow caps.
To differentiate the two look at the dorsal pattern. If the nudibranch has a median ridge it's a Phyllidia varicosa. If it doesn't have a median ridge and the ridge forms a Y shape arrangement instead, it's a Phyllidia coelestis.
Phyllidia coelestis also shows a broader mantle margin with smaller tubercles that has no yellow caps.
And also juvenile form of sea cucumber, Pearsonothuria graffei, mimic Phyllidia varicosa
