This species has been observed on Mayotte and Madagascar Islands

Order : Nudibranchia Suborder : Dexiarchia Superfamily : Aeolidioidea Family : Facelinidae Distribution : Australia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Japon Maximal size : 56 mm Abundance : Species characteristics : Cerata spoon-like, flattened with concave and convex side, broadening in upper half. Cerata covered with large spiny tubercles, these more elongate along cerata edges. Body of living animals, including oral tentacles, rhinophores and foot translucent with some white dusting Brownish digestive gland shining through transparent body wall of cerata, giving some specimens a rather brownish colour Long tuberculate rhinophores and small thin and smooth oral tentacle
	Showing species characteristics...	Photo Fabrice Schubert Mayotte, bandrele, 8 m, 22 December 2009, size : 50 mm

See more about : Sightening and mating periods
   See more about : Phyllodesmium phylogeny by Moore & Gosliner, 2009

Remarks :

Identification confirmed by Nathalie Yonow and Hsini Lin
    We call this species Phyllodesmium cf koehleri until someone proves that it is really a variant of Phyllodesmium koehleri.
    Our specimens have very long tuberculate rhinophores and small thin and smooth oral tentacle, but Burghardt, Schroedl & Wagele, 2008 write in their publication " Smooth oral tentacles somewhat shorter than smooth to slightly wrinkled rhinophores, usually directed more laterally. Rhinophores similar in shape to oral tentacles, standing close together. Both rhinophores and oral tentacles tapering"
    In Nudipixel some of these photos also have small tuberculate rhinophores....
    The cerata of our specimens seems to be less spiky than in the original description...

Bibliographic data :

Colour appears to be variable from white to brown, and more or less spikes
    Cerata spoon-like, flattened with concave and convex side, broadening in upper half. Basal part circular to oval in cross section. Cerata covered with large spiny tubercles, these more elongate along cerata edges. Apex of cerata clubbed and blunt.
    In contrast to many other Phyllodesmium species, the cerata are never curled in the upper part
    Each tubercule from the cerata has a brownish duct of the digestive gland running out to the tip. Zooxanthellae are present in the cells and lumen of the digestive gland ducts.
    Anterior foot angular. Posterior end of foot tapering to thin line
    P. koehleri differs from all other described Phyllodesmium species in its food preferences. This species seems to be specialized on members of the Nephtyidae, probably Paralemnalia or Lemnalia. The spoon-like spiny cerata of P. koehleri mimic parts of these soft corals and clearly distinguish P. koehleri from all other congeners.

References :

Bill Rudman Seaslug site : Sea Slug Forum : Phyllodesmium koehleri
   Nudipixel Phyllodesmium koehleri

Publications :

Burghardt, I., Schroedl, M. & Wagele, H. 2008. Three new solar-powered species of the genus Phyllodesmium Ehrenberg, 1831 (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Aeolidioidea) from the tropical Indo-pacific, with analysis of their photosynthetic activity and notes on biology. Journal of Molluscan Studies , 74: 277-292

Other photos of Phyllodesmium cf koehleri :

Fabrice Schubert Mayotte, bandrele, 8 m, 22 December 2009, size : 50 mm Brownish digestive gland shining through transparent body wall of cerata, giving some specimens a rather brownish colour Cerata spoon-like, flattened with concave and convex side, broadening in upper half. Cerata covered with large spiny tubercles (a), these more elongate along cerata edges. Long tuberculate rhinophores (b) and small thin and smooth oral tentacle (c)

Fabrice Schubert Mayotte, bandrele, 8 m, 10 January 2010, size : 30 mm Colour appears to be variable from white to brown, and more or less spikes

Fabrice Schubert Mayotte, bandrele, 8 m, 4 February 2010 Long tuberculate rhinophores (a) and small thin and smooth oral tentacle (b) Brownish digestive gland (c) shining through transparent body wall of cerata, giving some specimens a rather brownish colour

Alain-Benoît Rassat Madagascar, Nosy Bé, 18 m, size : 20 mm

See more about : Phyllodesmium phylogeny by Moore & Gosliner, 2009

If you have taken a photo of this species in Reunion Mauritius or Mayotte Islands, please Contact us...