Nudi Pixel: Nudibranchs and Sea Slugs Identification with Photographs

Phyllidiopsis krempfi

Photographed by: Dave Harasti

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

A resting individual sloughing off its mucous coat.

Note the characteristic rhinophores – half pink basally and half black distally.

I don’t know what happened to the half pink rhinophore

Thin black lines, generally longitudinal, meeting up in front of the rhinophores in a V and extending to the margin. Half black and half pink rhinophores.

In contrast, Phyllidiella pustulosa would have completely black rhinophores. This photo shows why it is important to show the rhinophores in photos of phyllidiids.

This photo does not show the all-important rhinophores.

Even though the rhinophores are not visible (half pink and half black), the large compound tubercles and thin somewhat wavy longitudinal and radial lines are typical of Phyllidiopsis krempfi.

Note the compound tubercles (simple in Phyllidiopsis shireenae) and bicoloured rhinophores (uniformly orange-pink in Phyllidiopsis shireenae). Phyllidiopsis krempfi and Phyllidiopsis pipeki are very close to each other (and not always distinguishable), but Phyllidiopsis shireenae is consistently different.

A typical individual. Note that the rhinophores are not fully extended, but you can just see that the upper section of the rhinophores is black and the lower section is pale pink

Locality:

• Indonesia
  • Bali (2) Feb, Oct
  • Pulau Seribu (2) Mar
  • Maratua (1) Aug
  • Ambon (1) Jan
  • Raja Ampat (1) Jan
  • North Sulawesi (1) Apr
• Malaysia
  • Lankayan (1)
  • Perhentian (1) Oct
  • Kapalai (1)
  • Tioman (1) Oct
  • Redang (1) Aug
  • Tenggol (1) May
• Taiwan
  • Kenting (1)
  • Long Dong (1)
  • Secret Garden (1)
  • North East Coast (1)
• Vanuatu
  • Vanuatu (1) Dec
• Palau
  • Palau (1) Sep
• Sri Lanka
  • Weligama (1) Apr
• Fiji
  • Fiji (1)
• Philippines
  • Palawan (1) Dec

 

Pictures of Phyllidiopsis krempfi

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(23 photos)

Similar Species

Author: Dr. Richard C. Willan

The main differences between Phyllidiella and Phyllidiopsis are internal – to do with the anatomy of the foregut. Externally these three species are indeed quite similar in colouration and in having compound tubercles, and all three species vary a great deal between individuals. The main external differences are:

Phyllidiella pustulosa and Phyllidiopsis burni have entirely black rhinophores (bicoloured in Phyllidiopsis krempfi);

Phyllidiella pustulosa and Phyllidiopsis krempfi have narrow black lines (very broad black areas in Phyllidiopsis burni).

« Phyllidiopsis gemmata | Species List | Phyllidiopsis phiphiensis »

 

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