Pericelis sp1

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This species has been observed on Reunion, Mauritius and Mayotte Islands


Order : Polycladida
Suborder : Cotylea
Superfamily : Pseudocerotoidea
Family : Pericelididae
Distribution : Indo West Pacific
Maximal size : 90 mm
Abundance :


Species characteristics :

Background body colour dark brown with cream white rounded spots.

Small and numerous spots at the margin, large and less concentrated on the central area

Pericelis sp1
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Photo Philibert Bidgrain
Mayotte, Mtsanga M'Titi Sada, less 1 m, 18 July 2010, size : 90 mm

See more about : Pericelis sp1 variability in Southwest Indian ocean

Remarks :

Newman (2003), considered this species as an undescribed species (Pericelis sp1 )

In some website this species is identified as Pseudoceros pardalis, but it's a mis-identification

Bibliographic data :

The tentacle are well separated, simple, pointed folds of the anterior margin, with numerous small eyes. The tentacles may be difficult to distinguish from the ruffled margin
    Species of Pericelis are relatively large in size, extremely soft and have a ruffled margin
    This species looks like Pericelis sp2, but in Pericelis sp2 the background colour is lighter and there are numerous cream dots on the central area.

References :

Marine flatworms of the world : Pseudoceros pardalis

Publications :

Newman, L.J. & Cannon, L.R.G. (2003). Marine Flatworms: the world of Polyclads. CSIRO Publishing : Melbourne 112 p

Other photos of Pericelis sp1 :

 

 

Philibert Bidgrain

Mayotte, Mtsanga M'Titi Sada, less 1 m, 18 July 2010, size : 90 mm

This species is very fast and will quickly hide in a crevice of the rock

Species of Pericelis are relatively large in size, extremely soft and have a ruffled margin

Christophe Cadet

Reunion, Etang salé lagoon, less 1 m, 26 December 2009, size : 35 mm

A specimen with less white cream dots on the notum than usual, without any white cream dots on the central area...

 

 

 

Philibert Bidgrain

Mayotte, Mtsanga M'Titi Sada, less 1 m, 21 July 2010, size : 40-50 mm

A specimen with a dark red-brown coloration on the notum.

Hilary Jones

Mauritius, Riviére noire lagoon, less 1 m, 24 May 2015

 More photos from Indian Ocean

See more about : Pericelis sp1 variability in Southwest Indian ocean

Mayotte, Pericelis sp1, by Matthias Deuss  

Reunion, Pericelis sp1 in an acrobatic position, at Trou d'eau, by Christophe Cadet